On Saturday, President Droupadi Murmu bestowed the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, upon former Prime Ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, renowned agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan, and two-time former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, all posthumously. The ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
Media reports indicate that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stalwart LK Advani will receive the Bharat Ratna award on Sunday. Due to his ailing health condition, President Murmu will personally visit senior BJP leader LK Advani’s residence to confer him with this prestigious award.
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Bharat Ratna to agronomist MS Swaminathan, with his daughter Nitya Rao receiving the award on Saturday. The late former Indian Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh was also honored posthumously, with his grandson Jayant Singh accepting the award on his behalf. Similarly, the Bharat Ratna award for former PM PV Narasimha Rao was received by his son PV Prabhakar Rao.
Ram Nath Thakur, son of Bharat Ratna awardee Karpoori Thakur, expressed his elation at receiving the award for his late father, thanking the Government of India and expressing gratitude towards PM Modi for acknowledging his father’s work.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other dignitaries graced the ceremony with their presence.
This year, the Modi government announced Bharat Ratna awards to five eminent personalities, including L K Advani. This marks the highest number of recipients since 1999, with four out of the five awards being posthumous. Advani, aged 96, is the sole living recipient, but due to his ill health, he could not attend Saturday’s ceremony in the national capital.
