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

Bharat Ratna Overview

The Bharat Ratna is India’s highest civilian honor, started in 1954 to recognize exceptional service in art, literature, science, and public service. It has no limits on race, occupation, or gender, with only five women recipients so far.

Indira Gandhi’s Milestone

Indira Gandhi received the Bharat Ratna on Republic Day 1971 from President V.V. Giri. She got it for her outstanding leadership as India’s first female Prime Minister since 1966, including winning the 1971 Indo-Pak War that created Bangladesh and reforms like bank nationalization.

Early Life and Rise

Born November 19, 1917, in Allahabad as Indira Nehru, she was daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister. She led two terms (1966-1977, 1980-1984) before her assassination on October 31, 1984.

Other Women Recipients

Recipient	Year	Field
Indira Gandhi	1971	Politics/Public Service
Mother Teresa	1980	Social Work
Aruna Asaf Ali	1997	Freedom Fighter
M.S. Subbulakshmi	1998	Music
Lata Mangeshkar	2001	Music