Today (8th August), former President Pranab Mukherjee will be awarded the Bharat Ratna (the highest civilian award) by President Ramnath Kovind, according to reports.
The award ceremony will take place in Rashtrapati Bhavan at 6 PM in the evening.
Mukherjee was awarded India’s highest civilian honour, along with renowned musician Bhupen Hazarika and Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Nanaji Deshmukh, in January.
Today, Hazarika and Deshmukh will also be honoured at the ceremony.
On being honoured with this prestigious award former President Pranab Mukherjee said, “It is with a deep sense of humility and gratitude to the people of India that I accept this great honour, Bharat Ratna, bestowed upon me.”
He further added, “I have always said and I repeat, I have got more from the people of our great country than I have given to them.”
Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed his nomination by tweeting this:
Pranab Da is an outstanding statesman of our times.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 25, 2019
He has served the nation selflessly and tirelessly for decades, leaving a strong imprint on the nation’s growth trajectory.
His wisdom and intellect have few parallels. Delighted that he has been conferred the Bharat Ratna.
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