Bharat Ratna has been announced for two former Prime Ministers, Chaudhry Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao, as well as the Father of the Green Revolution, M.S. Swaminathan. This announcement was made on Friday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Centre had previously announced the Bharat Ratna for Bhartiya Janata Party veteran Lal Krishna Advani and former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur.
PV Narsimha Rao-Father of Indian Economic Reforms
PV Narasimha Rao, who served as the Prime Minister from June 21, 1991, to May 16, 1996, had a diverse political career. Prior to his tenure as Prime Minister, he held various significant positions, including Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, he served as the Minister for External Affairs from January 14, 1980, to July 18, 1984, Minister of Home Affairs from July 1984 to December 1984, and Minister of Defense from December 1984 to September 1985. 
In 1991, facing India’s looming financial crisis, Rao made the pivotal decision to liberalize the economy. Recognizing the need for expertise, he appointed economist Manmohan Singh, a former Reserve Bank of India governor, as Finance Minister to spearhead this transformation. Despite facing criticism from socialist nationalists, Rao pressed forward with the liberalization agenda.
PV Narasimha Rao is often called the ‘Father of Indian Economic Reforms’. During his tenure as Prime Minister, he entrusted Finance Minister Manmohan Singh with the task of implementing vital changes to the economy. Under their leadership, India adopted pro-globalization measures, including policies recommended by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These reforms were crucial in rescuing the country bankruptcy.
Father of Green Revolution-MS Swaminathan
PM Modi announced that M.S. Swaminathan, hailed as the father of the ‘Green Revolution’ in India, will be honored with the Bharat Ratna.
Starting his career in 1949, Swaminathan focused on researching the genetics of various crops such as potatoes, wheat, rice, and jute. His pioneering work in developing high-yielding varieties of paddy proved instrumental in increasing agricultural productivity among India’s low-income farmers. 
The late scientist received several prestigious awards during his lifetime. He was honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 and the Albert Einstein World Science Award in 1986. In 1987, he was granted the first World Food Prize.
Following this, he established the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation in Chennai. Swaminathan was also decorated with the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, which are among the highest civilian honours in India. Additionally, he received the H K Firodia Award, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award, and the Indira Gandhi Prize.
MS Swaminathan passed away in September last year at the age of 98.
Bharat Ratna Chaudhry Charan Singh
Born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, in 1902, Charan Singh held the position of the 5th Prime Minister from July 28, 1979, to January 14, 1980. He began his political career by winning a seat in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Chhaprauli in 1937. He continued to represent the constituency in 1946, 1952, 1962, and 1967.
Charan Singh served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh two times, first in 1967 and then again in 1970. He played a key role in introducing land reforms in Uttar Pradesh. He was instrumental in passing the Debt Redemption Bill 1939, which helped rural debtors immensely. Additionally, he initiated significant cuts in the salaries and privileges of Ministers in Uttar Pradesh. 
While he was primarily associated with the Congress party throughout his life, he later established his own political party called Lokdal in 1980.
The announcement of the Bharat Ratna for Chaudhary Charan Singh coincides with reports of a seat-sharing agreement between the BJP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal, a party founded by his son and currently led by his grandson, Jayant Chaudhary.
Except for M.S. Swaminathan, all the Bharat Ratna recipients awarded this year are politicians. This year marks a significant milestone as five Bharat Ratna awards have been conferred, an unprecedented number for a single year.
