Five people will be awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2024, the highest ever since 1999, when four people were bestowed with the prestigious honour. The awardees include Karpoori Thakur, L.K. Advani, P.V. Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh and M.S. Swaminathan, out of which four are posthumous.
KnowALLedge Plus:
>Karpoori Thakur: A former Chief Minister of Bihar, he was known as ‘Jan Nayak’ (people’s leader) for his efforts to uplift marginalized communities.
>Lal Krishna Advani: A veteran politician and former Deputy PM of India, the nonagenarian played a pivotal role in shaping the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
>PV Narasimha Rao: The 9th PM of India, he introduced economic reforms and steered India towards liberalization and globalization. He was a polyglot, who was conversant in 15 languages.
>Chaudhary Charan Singh: A former PM of India, he is often referred to as the “Champion of India’s peasants”. The international airport in Lucknow is officially named after him.
>MS Swaminathan: A renowned agricultural scientist and the “Father of Green Revolution in India”, he made significant contrubutions to improving crop productivity and food security.