President Murmu confers Bharat Ratna on ex-PMs, two others posthumously

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday conferred Bharat Ratna on former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, posthumously at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The country's highest civilian honour to Rao, Singh, Swaminathan and Thakur was received by their kin.

"As the ninth prime minister of India, P V Narasimha Rao led far-reaching economic reforms. Earlier, in his youth, he had taken an active part in the freedom struggle, especially against the misrule and oppression in the Nizam-ruled Hyderabad. He was known for his command over several languages and literature," the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a post on X. On behalf of Rao, Bharat Ratna was received by his son P V Prabhakar Rao.


On behalf of Chaudhary Charan Singh, Bharat Ratna was received by Jayant Chaudhary, his grandson Singh, a Jat leader from western Uttar Pradesh, was prime minister between July 28, 1979, and January 14, 1980.

On behalf of former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur, Bharat Ratna was received by his son Ramnath Thakur.

Bharat Ratna was also conferred upon agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan posthumously. Swaminathan's daughter Nitya Rao received the award.