<P> The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari , philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , and scientist C.V. Raman , who were honoured in 1954 . Since then , the award has been bestowed upon 45 individuals , including 12 who were awarded posthumously . The original statutes did not provide for posthumous awards but were amended in January 1955 to permit them . Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri became the first individual to be honoured posthumously . In 2014 , cricketer Sachin Tendulkar , then aged 40 , became the youngest recipient ; while social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve was awarded on his 100th birthday . Though usually conferred on India - born citizens , the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to one naturalised citizen , Mother Teresa , and to two non-Indians , Pakistan national Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and former South African President Nelson Mandela . On 24 December 2014 , the Indian government announced the award to independence activist Madan Mohan Malaviya ( posthumously ) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee . </P>
<P> The first recipients of the Bharat Ratna were politician C. Rajagopalachari , philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , and scientist C.V. Raman , who were honoured in 1954 . Since then , the award has been bestowed upon 45 individuals , including 12 who were awarded posthumously . The original statutes did not provide for posthumous awards but were amended in January 1955 to permit them . Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri became the first individual to be honoured posthumously . In 2014 , cricketer Sachin Tendulkar , then aged 40 , became the youngest recipient ; while social reformer Dhondo Keshav Karve was awarded on his 100th birthday . Though usually conferred on India - born citizens , the Bharat Ratna has been awarded to one naturalised citizen , Mother Teresa , and to two non-Indians , Pakistan national Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and former South African President Nelson Mandela . On 24 December 2014 , the Indian government announced the award to independence activist Madan Mohan Malaviya ( posthumously ) and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee . </P>
who was the first person to be awarded the bharat ratna
who was the first person to be awarded the bharat ratna
politician C. Rajagopalachari , philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan scientist C.V. Raman
politician C. Rajagopalachari , philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan scientist C.V. Raman