The Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India, established in 1954. Any person without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex is eligible for these awards. It is awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour.
The recommendations for Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendations for this are necessary. A maximum of three Bharat Ratna awards can be conferred in any given year.