Bharat Ratna

Correct answer: A. 1954

Explanation: C. Rajagopalachari received the Bharat Ratna in 1954. He was among the first recipients of India’s highest civilian award; Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and C. V. Raman were also honoured in that year. 1955 was the following award year, so it is not correct here. Exam tip: Remember 1954 as the year in which the Bharat Ratna was instituted and first awarded.

Correct answer: B. 1955

Explanation: Bhagwan Das was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955. He was a philosopher, educationist, and thinker associated with the freedom movement. Although 1954 was the first year of the Bharat Ratna, Bhagwan Das was not among that year’s awardees. Exam tip: Remember Bhagwan Das with the 1955 Bharat Ratna award.

Correct answer: B. 1955

Explanation: M. Visvesvaraya was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1955. He was a renowned Indian engineer and planner, and his birthday, 15 September, is observed as Engineers' Day in India. Although 1954 was the year in which the Bharat Ratna was instituted and first awarded, Visvesvaraya did not receive it that year. Exam tip: link Visvesvaraya with engineering and 1955.

Correct answer: B. 1961

Explanation: Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1961. He was a renowned physician and the Chief Minister of West Bengal. Although he died in 1962, that was not the year of his award. Exam tip: Learn Bharat Ratna recipients together with their award years.

Correct answer: B. 1962

Explanation: Dr Rajendra Prasad was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1962. He was the first President of independent India, and the award recognised his distinguished public service to the nation. The year 1963 was not the year of his Bharat Ratna award. Exam tip: Remember the pair—Dr Rajendra Prasad: Bharat Ratna, 1962.

Correct answer: C. 1966

Explanation: Lal Bahadur Shastri was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1966, following his death in January 1966. The year 1965 relates to his tenure as Prime Minister, not to the award. Exam tip: Shastri was the first posthumous recipient of the Bharat Ratna.

Correct answer: B. 1971

Explanation: Indira Gandhi was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1971 for her contribution as Prime Minister of India. The year 1966 marks when she first became Prime Minister, not when she received the Bharat Ratna. Exam tip: Remember 1966 for her becoming Prime Minister and 1971 for the Bharat Ratna.

Correct answer: C. 1988

Explanation: M. G. Ramachandran was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1988. He was a popular actor and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Although he died in 1987, the award was conferred the following year. Exam tip: In Bharat Ratna questions, distinguish the year of death from the year the award was given.

Correct answer: B. 1991

Explanation: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1991. He is remembered as the ‘Iron Man of India’ for his key role in integrating the princely states into India. The year 1990 is associated with Bharat Ratna awards to Dr B. R. Ambedkar and Nelson Mandela, so it is not correct here. Exam tip: Learn Bharat Ratna recipients together with their award years.

Correct answer: C. 1999

Explanation: Jayaprakash Narayan was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1999. He was a major leader of the freedom movement and the Total Revolution movement. Although 1998 is a nearby year, it was not his Bharat Ratna award year. Exam tip: remember Jayaprakash Narayan with 1999 and the Total Revolution movement.

Correct answer: B. 2014

Explanation: Sachin Tendulkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2014. He was the first sportsperson and the youngest recipient of this honour. Although 2015 is a close distractor, he did not receive the award in that year. Exam tip: Learn the names of major sportspersons who received the Bharat Ratna along with their award years.

Correct answer: C. 2024

Explanation: Karpoori Thakur was announced for the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. He was a former Chief Minister of Bihar, known as ‘Jan Nayak’ and associated with social justice. Although Bharat Ratna awards were also announced for some persons in 2025, that year does not apply to Karpoori Thakur. Exam tip: Learn recent Bharat Ratna awardees together with their announcement years.

Correct answer: C. 2024

Explanation: L. K. Advani was announced for the Bharat Ratna in 2024, in recognition of his long contribution to public and political life. The year 2019 is associated with Bharat Ratna announcements for other recipients, not Advani. Exam tip: In Bharat Ratna questions, distinguish between the year of announcement and the date on which the award was conferred.

Correct answer: C. 2024

Explanation: P. V. Narasimha Rao was announced for the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. He was a former Prime Minister of India and played an important role in the economic reforms of 1991. The 2019 Bharat Ratna announcements were for different awardees, not Rao. Exam tip: Memorise the names of the 2024 Bharat Ratna awardees along with the year.

Correct answer: C. 2024

Explanation: Chaudhary Charan Singh was announced for the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. He was a former Prime Minister of India and a prominent farmers’ leader. 2019 is incorrect because Bharat Ratna announcements that year concerned other recipients. Exam tip: In Bharat Ratna questions, read carefully whether the question asks about the year of announcement or the year of conferment.

Correct answer: C. 2024

Explanation: M. S. Swaminathan was announced for the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2024. He received the honour for his major contributions to agricultural science and India’s Green Revolution. 2019 is incorrect because the Bharat Ratna was not announced for him in that year. Exam tip: For Bharat Ratna questions, remember both the year of announcement and the recipient’s key contribution.

Correct answer: B. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan

Explanation: Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was the first non-Indian citizen to receive the Bharat Ratna. He was awarded the honour in 1987 and was also known as the Frontier Gandhi. Nelson Mandela received the Bharat Ratna later, in 1990. Exam tip: remember 1987 for Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and 1990 for Nelson Mandela.

Correct answer: B. Sachin Tendulkar

Explanation: Sachin Tendulkar was the first sportsperson to be honoured with the Bharat Ratna. The award was conferred on him in 2014. Dhyan Chand was a legendary hockey player, but he did not receive the Bharat Ratna. Exam tip: Remember Tendulkar as the first sporting personality to receive this award.

Correct answer: A. Indira Gandhi

Explanation: Indira Gandhi was the first woman to be awarded the Bharat Ratna. She received the honour in 1971. Mother Teresa received the Bharat Ratna later, in 1980, so she was not the first woman recipient. Exam tip: Remember Indira Gandhi with India’s first woman Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna (1971).

Correct answer: B. M. S. Subbulakshmi

Explanation: M. S. Subbulakshmi was the first woman musician to receive the Bharat Ratna. She received the award in 1998 and was a renowned Carnatic classical vocalist. Lata Mangeshkar received the Bharat Ratna later, in 2001. Exam tip: Remember the link: M. S. Subbulakshmi—Carnatic music—Bharat Ratna 1998.

Correct answer: C. Three

Explanation: In 1954, three people were awarded the Bharat Ratna: C. Rajagopalachari, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and Dr C. V. Raman. Therefore, the correct answer is three. “Two” may seem like a close distractor, but the award had three recipients in its first year. Exam tip: Remember the year 1954 along with the names of the first Bharat Ratna awardees.

Correct answer: A. Amartya Sen

Explanation: Amartya Sen is an economist and received the Bharat Ratna in 1999. Pandit Ravi Shankar was a musician, while Jayaprakash Narayan and Gopinath Bordoloi were prominent political and social figures. Exam tip: Remember Amartya Sen with economics and welfare economics.

Correct answer: B. Ustad Bismillah Khan

Explanation: Ustad Bismillah Khan was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2001 along with Lata Mangeshkar. He was a renowned maestro of the shehnai. Bhimsen Joshi received the Bharat Ratna later, in 2008. Exam tip: Remember the link: Bismillah Khan—shehnai—Bharat Ratna 2001.

Correct answer: A. C. N. R. Rao

Explanation: Dr C. N. R. Rao received the Bharat Ratna in 2014 along with Sachin Tendulkar. He is renowned for major contributions to solid-state chemistry and materials science. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is a close distractor, but he received the Bharat Ratna earlier, in 1997. Exam tip: Remember Bharat Ratna award years together with the recipient’s field of work.

Correct answer: A. Madan Mohan Malaviya

Explanation: Madan Mohan Malaviya was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 2015, the same year as Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Malaviya is especially known as the founder of Banaras Hindu University. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a close distractor, received the Bharat Ratna in 1992. Exam tip: remember Malaviya with 2015 and BHU.