Bharat Ratna
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| Bharat Ratna | |
|---|---|
 Government of India · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source | |
| Name | Bharat Ratna |
| Awarded by | President of India |
| Country | India |
| First awarded | 1954 |
Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India, instituted to recognize exceptional service and performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavor. Established in 1954 during the tenure of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and conferred by the President of India, it has been awarded to statesmen, artists, scientists, and public figures whose contributions had wide national or international impact. The award carries no monetary grant but bears a peepal leaf-shaped medallion and a certificate, and recipients receive precedence in the Indian order of precedence.
History
The institution of the award in 1954 coincided with the early years of the Republic of India and the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru, reflecting post-independence attempts to recognize national eminence. Early recipients included figures associated with the independence movement and nation-building such as C. Rajagopalachari, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, linking the award to leaders of the Indian independence movement and intellectuals of the Constituent Assembly of India. Over subsequent decades the award was conferred upon cultural figures tied to institutions like All India Radio, Doordarshan, and the Indian Institutes of Technology, as well as scientists affiliated with bodies such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Indian Space Research Organisation. Amendments and debates in the offices of the Prime Minister of India and the President of India shaped procedures and controversies, including legal challenges in courts such as the Supreme Court of India.
Criteria and Eligibility
Eligibility for the award is defined by provisions within constitutional practice and conventions associated with Indian honours rather than by a statutory schedule; nominations are recommended by the Prime Minister of India's office to the President of India. Recipients have included citizens of India and, in exceptional cases, foreign nationals like Nelson Mandela-era figures and global statesmen; thus practice demonstrates flexibility regarding nationality. Fields represented among awardees include politicians linked to the Indian National Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party, artists from the world of Hindustani classical music and Indian cinema, scientists associated with Atomic Energy Commission of India or universities like University of Calcutta, and public servants with careers in institutions such as the Rashtrapati Bhavan or Parliament of India. The informal criteria emphasize "performance of the highest order" across any field, mirroring precedents set by national orders globally such as the Order of the British Empire and the Legion of Honour.
Nomination and Selection Process
Nominations are customarily routed through the Prime Minister of India, vetted by advisory committees that have included former officials from ministries including the Ministry of Home Affairs and representatives of national academies like the Sangeet Natak Akademi or the Indian National Science Academy. Final conferment rests with the President of India, who signs the warrant and issues the citation; investiture ceremonies are often held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan with participation from the Vice President of India and cabinet members. The absence of a formal public nomination portal has led to reliance on recommendations from political offices, cultural institutions such as Film and Television Institute of India and National School of Drama, and endorsements by individuals from bodies like the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.
Recipients
Recipients span statesmen such as Jawaharlal Nehru-era leaders and late twentieth-century prime ministers, jurists from the Supreme Court of India, composers and performers linked to the All India Radio network and film industry figures associated with Bollywood and regional cinemas like Tamil cinema, Malayalam cinema, and Bengali cinema. Scientists and technologists among awardees have been associated with the Indian Space Research Organisation, the Indian Institute of Science, and institutes such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. International figures with strong ties to India or to global movements have also been honored. The roll of recipients reflects intersections with institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management and the National Museum, and with political movements including the Quit India movement and post-independence policy-making circles.
Controversies and Criticism
The award has been subject to controversy over perceived politicization, with critics pointing to nominations and conferments during specific tenures of the Prime Minister of India and debates in the Parliament of India and public discourse. Legal challenges have reached the Supreme Court of India on grounds such as procedural transparency and eligibility, invoking commentary from constitutional jurists and civil society organizations including Amnesty International and national press outlets. Specific conferrals have prompted protests from trade unions, student bodies like the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, and cultural associations such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi when members disputed the merits of recipients. Scholarly critiques in journals and analyses by historians of the Indian independence movement and commentators on postcolonial policy have called for codified criteria and a transparent public nomination process to align the award with evolving norms of public honours exemplified by orders like the Legion of Honour.