Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that former prime ministers Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao would receive the Bharat Ratna. Additionally, Modi declared that Dr. MS Swaminathan, an agricultural expert, would get the highest civilian award in the country from his government.
Announcing the awards PM Modi shared the information on his X handle:
हमारी सरकार का यह सौभाग्य है कि देश के पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री चौधरी चरण सिंह जी को भारत रत्न से सम्मानित किया जा रहा है। यह सम्मान देश के लिए उनके अतुलनीय योगदान को समर्पित है। उन्होंने किसानों के अधिकार और उनके कल्याण के लिए अपना पूरा जीवन समर्पित कर दिया था। उत्तर प्रदेश के… pic.twitter.com/gB5LhaRkIv
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
It is a matter of immense joy that the Government of India is conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr. MS Swaminathan Ji, in recognition of his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare. He played a pivotal role in helping India achieve self-reliance in… pic.twitter.com/OyxFxPeQjZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
Delighted to share that our former Prime Minister, Shri PV Narasimha Rao Garu, will be honoured with the Bharat Ratna.
As a distinguished scholar and statesman, Narasimha Rao Garu served India extensively in various capacities. He is equally remembered for the work he did as… pic.twitter.com/lihdk2BzDU
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 9, 2024
Also read: 5 Remarkable Achievements of Bharat Ratna PV Narasimha Rao
Here’s a look at the background of the three awardees:
Chaudhary Charan Singh
Singh was born in 1902 into a middle-class farmer family in Noorpur, Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh. After completing his postgraduate studies at Agra University in 1925, he qualified as a lawyer and later opened an office in Ghaziabad.
He was initially elected from Chhaprauli to the UP Legislative Assembly in 1937. He later served as the constituency’s representative in 1946, 1952, 1962, and 1967.
He was placed in charge of the Departments of Justice and Information after being named Cabinet Minister in the State in June 1951. Later, in 1952, he was appointed to the position of Minister of Revenue and Agriculture in the Sampurnanand Cabinet.
In Sucheta Kripalani’s Ministry, Charan Singh was Minister of Agriculture and Forests from 1962 to 1963.
With the backing of the Congress Party, he was appointed Chief Minister of the UP a second time in February 1970 following the breakup of the Congress. On October 2, 1970, President’s Rule was implemented in the State, however.
PV Narasimha Rao
Born in Karimnagar, Andhra Pradesh, in 1921, Rao attended Osmania University in Hyderabad, Bombay University, and Nagpur University.
As a Congress leader, he served as prime minister from 1991 to 1996 for the entire five-year mandate. He is credited with bringing about economic reforms.
As a renowned politician, Narasimha Rao held important positions as an agriculturist and advocate.
Rao showed a deep interest in a variety of subjects while holding a number of positions, including General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, and Minister of Law and Information. He also served as India’s minister of external affairs for a while.
MS Swaminathan
Swaminathan, who was born in 1925, is well-known as the Father of the Green Revolution. Both the Coimbatore Agricultural College and the Maharajas College in Thiruvananthapuram awarded him a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences and Zoology.
The development of high-yielding paddy varieties by Swaminathan had been instrumental in enabling farmers in India to increase production.
His vision was to eradicate poverty and hunger from the planet. Known for his support of sustainable development and biodiversity preservation, the United Nations Environment Programme has dubbed him “the Father of Economic Ecology.”
