Indian vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi becomes first musician to receive Bharat Ratna

M. S. Subbulakshmi, a prominent Carnatic vocalist from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, became the first musician to receive the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 1998.

She established herself as a leading singer during her teenage years and expanded the reach of Indian classical music through both cinema and international diplomacy. Subbulakshmi used her musical platform to promote public causes and cultural exchange.

She performed more than 200 charity concerts and donated royalties from her devotional albums to the Tirumala temple. Her work also included a historic 1966 recital at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. During that performance, she sang a Sanskrit benediction to convey a message of universal friendship and world peace. The singer also appeared in several Indian films, including the 1945 film Meera, which helped her reach a wider audience.

Her influence persisted after her death in 2004, as her recordings continue to be used in daily religious rituals in South India. Her great-granddaughters also performed her famous UN recital piece for the Indian Prime Minister in 2017.