Who was the First Indian Woman to Receive Bharat Ratna?

The Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian honour, awarded for exceptional service to the nation. The first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna was Indira Gandhi, awarded in 1971.

Question (Click to Flip)

Who was the first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna?

Answer

Indira Gandhi was the first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna, in 1971.

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Key Facts

First Woman: Indira Gandhi (1971).

Award: Bharat Ratna (India's highest civilian honour).

Established: 1954.

Awarded By: President of India.

About the Award

The Bharat Ratna is awarded by the President of India for distinguished service of the highest order to the nation — in fields like art, literature, science, or public service. It was established in 1954.

Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi was India's third Prime Minister (1966–1977 and 1980–1984) and the first and only woman PM of India. She received the Bharat Ratna in 1971 — the year India won the Bangladesh Liberation War and split Pakistan.

Other Notable Women Bharat Ratna Recipients

After Indira Gandhi, other women recipients include:

Mother Teresa (1980) — though she was Albanian-Indian.
M.S. Subbulakshmi (1998) — Carnatic musician.
Lata Mangeshkar (2001) — Singer.
Usha Uthup — Not yet awarded.

Questions and Answers

Who was the first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna?+

Indira Gandhi was the first Indian woman to receive the Bharat Ratna, in 1971.

What is the Bharat Ratna?+

Bharat Ratna is India's highest civilian honour, awarded for exceptional national service in art, science, literature, or public affairs.

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