Bharat Ratna Award — Benefits and Privileges

This is the most common question. No, the Bharat Ratna carries NO monetary grant. The recipient does not receive a single rupee as prize money, nor do they get a pension from the government.

The award consists solely of a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President of India and a medallion shaped like a peepal leaf.

While there is no cash, a Bharat Ratna awardee enjoys several extraordinary lifelong VVIP privileges:

1. Protocol and Rank: In the Indian 'Table of Precedence' (which dictates who is more senior in government protocol), Bharat Ratna awardees are placed at Position 7A. This means they rank higher than Chief Ministers of states (outside their state), Governors (outside their state), and all Cabinet Ministers of state rank.
2. State Guests: When traveling within India, they are treated as 'State Guests' by the respective state governments, meaning the state provides them with free accommodation, transport, and security.
3. Free Flights: They are entitled to lifetime free First-Class flight travel on Air India anywhere within the country.
4. Diplomatic Passport: They are eligible to receive an Indian Diplomatic Passport, which offers VIP treatment at airports worldwide and visa-free entry to several countries.

According to Article 18(1) of the Indian Constitution, the award cannot be used as a prefix or suffix to the recipient's name. For example, one cannot legally write their name as "Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar" on official documents, though the media often uses it respectfully.