Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, was conferred on former Prime Ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh as well as agricultural scientist MS Swaminathan.
Announcing the three awards on social media platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded their contributions to the country. Charan Singh served as the fifth Prime Minister of India, albeit for a brief period of time. He was sworn in on July 28, 1979, and was compelled to step down just 170 days after failing to prove his government’s majority on the floor of Parliament.
After exiting the Congress in Uttar Pradesh in the 1950s, he went on to form the first non-Congress government in the northern state. He also went on to form the Bharatiya Kranti Dal (BKD), which later merged with the Samyukta (United) Socialist Party to form the Bharatiya Lok Dal (BLD).
Pamulaparti Venkata Narasimha Rao served as the 10th Prime Minister of India from June 21, 1991, to May 16, 1996, for a total of 1,791 days. He is best known for ushering the country into an era of economic reforms. Rao previously served as a minister in the Andhra Pradesh government and held a number of portfolios including law, education and health until 1971, when he took over as the Chief Minister. He remained the CM till 1973. In his post, PM Modi credited Narasimha Rao with “fostering a new era of economic development” in the country.
Known as the ‘Father of the Green Revolution’, Dr Swaminathan played a major role in the set of changes introduced in farming in the 1960s and ‘70s that helped India achieve food security.
PM Modi highlighted his contributions towards modernising India’s agricultural sector. “He played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in agriculture during challenging times and made outstanding efforts towards modernizing Indian agriculture. We also recognise his invaluable work as an innovator and mentor and encouraging learning and research among several students.
Dr Swaminathan’s visionary leadership has not only transformed Indian agriculture but also ensured the nation’s food security and prosperity. He was someone I knew closely and l always valued his insights and inputs,” said PM Modi.
The announcement comes days after 96-year-old BJP stalwart LK Advani and two-time Bihar chief minister and socialist icon Karpoori Thakur (posthumously) were conferred with the highest civilian honour.