Ex-President Pranab Mukherjee awarded Bharat Ratna
NEW DELHI : President Ram Nath Kovind today conferred country’s highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna on former President Pranab Mukherjee and posthumously on social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and singer Bhupen Hazarika.
Pranab Mukherjee received the award from the President, at a function in Rashtrapati Bhawan. Bhupen Hazarika’s son Tej Hazarika received the award on his behalf. While a relative of Nanaji Deshmukh, Virender Jeet Singh received the award for him.
Vice President M Venkaikah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and several Union Ministers were present at the function.
The award ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening was attended by top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hailed him as the “outstanding statesman of our times” when the names of the recipients were announced in January.
Two others received the award posthumously — iconic singer Bhupen Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh, one of the founding members of Bharatiya Jan Sangh, which later evolved into the BJP.
Mr Mukerjee’s term as President of India, a post enabled by the Congress, ended in 2017. But the leader — who dubbed himself Citizen Mukherjee after stepping down — had made headlines, most notably last year with his controversial decision to attend an event of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the BJP.
The 83-year-old had served as one of the most senior ministers in the Congress governments headed by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.His proximity to the Gandhis and his ability to get opposition parties to the negotiating table during tricky impasses, made him one of the most respected political leaders across party lines.
Many considered him the sharpest mind in Manmohan Singh’s cabinet, with a deep understanding of Indian politics, economic policies and strategic issues. As a President, he had been a model of constitutional propriety, but still managed to speak his mind on contentious and even divisive issues.
After coming to office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had more than once acknowledged him as a mentor. The two had shared a cordial relation – one that was reflected in their warm praise of each other when Mr Mukherjee stepped down from the nation’s highest office.
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