<Table> List of laureates awarded the Bharat Ratna <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Laureates </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1954 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> C. Rajagopalachari </Th> <Td> An Indian independence activist , statesman , and lawyer , Rajagopalachari was the only Indian and last Governor - General of independent India . He was Chief Minister of Madras Presidency ( 1937 -- 39 ) and Madras State ( 1952 -- 54 ) ; and founder of Indian political party Swatantra Party . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan </Th> <Td> Philosopher Radhakrishnan served as India 's first Vice-President ( 1952 -- 62 ) and second President ( 1962 -- 67 ) . Since 1962 , his birthday on 5 September is observed as `` Teachers ' Day '' in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> C.V. Raman </Th> <Td> Widely known for his work on the scattering of light and the discovery of the effect , better known as `` Raman scattering '' , Raman mainly worked in the field of atomic physics and electromagnetism and was presented Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1955 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Bhagwan Das </Th> <Td> Independence activist , philosopher , and educationist , Das is a co-founder of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith and worked with Madan Mohan Malaviya for the foundation of Banaras Hindu University . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> M. Visvesvaraya </Th> <Td> Civil engineer , statesman , and Diwan of Mysore ( 1912 -- 18 ) , Visvesvaraya was a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire . His birthday , 15 September , is observed as `` Engineer 's Day '' in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Jawaharlal Nehru </Th> <Td> Independence activist and author , Nehru is the first and the longest - serving Prime Minister of India ( 1947 -- 64 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1957 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Govind Ballabh Pant </Th> <Td> Independence activist Pant was premier of United Provinces ( 1937 -- 39 , 1946 -- 50 ) and first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh ( 1950 -- 54 ) . He served as Union Home Minister from 1955 -- 61 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Dhondo Keshav Karve </Th> <Td> Social reformer and educator , Karve is widely known for his works related to woman education and remarriage of Hindu widows . He established the Widow Marriage Association ( 1883 ) , Hindu Widows Home ( 1896 ) , and started Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women 's University in 1916 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1961 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Bidhan Chandra Roy </Th> <Td> A physician , political leader , philanthropist , educationist , and social worker , Roy is often considered as `` Maker of Modern West Bengal '' . He was second Chief Minister of West Bengal ( 1948 -- 62 ) and his birthday on 1 July is observed as National Doctors ' Day in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Purushottam Das Tandon </Th> <Td> Often titled as `` Rajarshi '' , Tandon was an independence activist and served as speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly ( 1937 -- 50 ) . He was actively involved in a campaign to get official language status to Hindi . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1962 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Rajendra Prasad </Th> <Td> Independence activist , lawyer , statesman , and scholar , Prasad was closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the non-cooperation movement for Indian independence . He was later elected as the first President of India ( 1950 -- 62 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Zakir Husain </Th> <Td> Independence activist and education philosopher , Husain served as a Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University ( 1948 -- 56 ) and the Governor of Bihar ( 1957 -- 62 ) . Later , he was elected as second Vice-President of India ( 1962 -- 67 ) and went on to become the third President of India ( 1967 -- 69 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Pandurang Vaman Kane </Th> <Td> Indologist and Sanskrit scholar , Kane is best known for his five volume literary work , History of Dharmaśāstra : Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India ; the `` monumental '' work that extends over nearly 6,500 pages and being published from 1930 to 1962 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1966 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Lal Bahadur Shastri </Th> <Td> Known for his slogan `` Jai Jawan Jai Kisan '' ( `` Hail the Soldier , Hail the Farmer '' ) , Independence
<Table> List of laureates awarded the Bharat Ratna <Tr> <Th> Year </Th> <Th colspan="2"> Laureates </Th> <Th> Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1954 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> C. Rajagopalachari </Th> <Td> An Indian independence activist , statesman , and lawyer , Rajagopalachari was the only Indian and last Governor - General of independent India . He was Chief Minister of Madras Presidency ( 1937 -- 39 ) and Madras State ( 1952 -- 54 ) ; and founder of Indian political party Swatantra Party . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan </Th> <Td> Philosopher Radhakrishnan served as India 's first Vice-President ( 1952 -- 62 ) and second President ( 1962 -- 67 ) . Since 1962 , his birthday on 5 September is observed as `` Teachers ' Day '' in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> C.V. Raman </Th> <Td> Widely known for his work on the scattering of light and the discovery of the effect , better known as `` Raman scattering '' , Raman mainly worked in the field of atomic physics and electromagnetism and was presented Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1955 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Bhagwan Das </Th> <Td> Independence activist , philosopher , and educationist , Das is a co-founder of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith and worked with Madan Mohan Malaviya for the foundation of Banaras Hindu University . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> M. Visvesvaraya </Th> <Td> Civil engineer , statesman , and Diwan of Mysore ( 1912 -- 18 ) , Visvesvaraya was a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire . His birthday , 15 September , is observed as `` Engineer 's Day '' in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Jawaharlal Nehru </Th> <Td> Independence activist and author , Nehru is the first and the longest - serving Prime Minister of India ( 1947 -- 64 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1957 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Govind Ballabh Pant </Th> <Td> Independence activist Pant was premier of United Provinces ( 1937 -- 39 , 1946 -- 50 ) and first Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh ( 1950 -- 54 ) . He served as Union Home Minister from 1955 -- 61 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Dhondo Keshav Karve </Th> <Td> Social reformer and educator , Karve is widely known for his works related to woman education and remarriage of Hindu widows . He established the Widow Marriage Association ( 1883 ) , Hindu Widows Home ( 1896 ) , and started Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women 's University in 1916 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1961 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Bidhan Chandra Roy </Th> <Td> A physician , political leader , philanthropist , educationist , and social worker , Roy is often considered as `` Maker of Modern West Bengal '' . He was second Chief Minister of West Bengal ( 1948 -- 62 ) and his birthday on 1 July is observed as National Doctors ' Day in India . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Purushottam Das Tandon </Th> <Td> Often titled as `` Rajarshi '' , Tandon was an independence activist and served as speaker of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly ( 1937 -- 50 ) . He was actively involved in a campaign to get official language status to Hindi . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1962 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Rajendra Prasad </Th> <Td> Independence activist , lawyer , statesman , and scholar , Prasad was closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi in the non-cooperation movement for Indian independence . He was later elected as the first President of India ( 1950 -- 62 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> -- </Td> <Th> Zakir Husain </Th> <Td> Independence activist and education philosopher , Husain served as a Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University ( 1948 -- 56 ) and the Governor of Bihar ( 1957 -- 62 ) . Later , he was elected as second Vice-President of India ( 1962 -- 67 ) and went on to become the third President of India ( 1967 -- 69 ) . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Th> Pandurang Vaman Kane </Th> <Td> Indologist and Sanskrit scholar , Kane is best known for his five volume literary work , History of Dharmaśāstra : Ancient and Medieval Religious and Civil Law in India ; the `` monumental '' work that extends over nearly 6,500 pages and being published from 1930 to 1962 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1966 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Lal Bahadur Shastri </Th> <Td> Known for his slogan `` Jai Jawan Jai Kisan '' ( `` Hail the Soldier , Hail the Farmer '' ) , Independence
who got the bharat ratna award before becoming president
who got the bharat ratna award before becoming president
Rajendra Prasad Zakir Husain
Rajendra Prasad Zakir Husain A.P.J. Abdul Kalam