Hyderabad: The decision to award Bharat Ratna to former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh and green revolution pioneer M S Swaminathan has taken the number of recipients of the country's highest civilian award to 53.
The country's highest civilian honour the Bharat Ratna was established in 1954 and is bestowed to individuals, who have demonstrated extraordinary service or excellence in any field of human endeavour. Anyone is qualified for this prize, regardless of gender, ethnicity, status, or occupation.
The President receives recommendations for Bharat Ratna from the Prime Minister. Typically, there is a cap of three yearly awards given out in a given year. However, five individuals received it in 2024.
A medallion and a 'Sanad' (certificate) signed by the President are given to the winner at the award presentation. There is no financial grant associated with the prize. The recipient's name cannot be prefixed or suffixed with the award.
A medallion and a 'Sanad' (certificate) signed by the Indian President are presented to the recipient of the Bharat Ratna award. The medallion is roughly 5.8 cm long, 4.7 cm wide, and 3.1 mm thick, shaped like a peepal leaf. The material is toned bronze. On its obverse is embossed a replica of the sun, 1.6 cm in diameter, below which the words 'Bharat Ratna' are embossed in 'Devanagari' script.
The facilities that the awardees receive include treatment similar to those received by the high government dignitaries when they travel across the country.
The Bharat Ratna benefits also include an existing diplomatic passport which happens to be issued to only Indian diplomats, top-ranking officers inside the government departments, and diplomatic couriers which provides them with the benefits of a separate immigration counter and access to a VIP lounge inside the airports.
The awardees get lifetime access to fly in the executive class for free. They also get a declaration as a 'State Guest' while travelling within India.
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