President Droupadi Murmu confers Bharat Ratna awards on two former PMs, LK Advani, and others

New Delhi, Mar 30: After announcing Bharat Ratna awardees, President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Bharat Ratna award, the highest civilian award of the country, to five eminent personalities on Saturday, including two former Prime Ministers.

LK Advani, Charan Singh Chaudhary, MS Swaminathan, Karpoori Thakur, P V Narasimha RaoLK Advani, Charan Singh Chaudhary, MS Swaminathan, Karpoori Thakur, P V Narasimha Rao

The country's highest civilian honour was awarded to former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan and two-time former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, posthumously at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Notably, the honour to BJP veteran LK Advani will be conferred at his residence.

The awards bestowed upon Rao, Singh, Thakur, and Swaminathan were accepted by their family members-

1. The son of former Prime Minister Rao, P V Prabhakar Rao received the award from the President on behalf of his father.

2. Jayant Chaudhary, Singh's grandson and the President of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), accepted the honor from the President.

3. Swaminathan's daughter Nitya Rao received on behalf of agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan.

4. Thakur's son Ram Nath Thakur received the award from the president.

5. Advani will be conferred with the country’s highest civilian award on March 31, according to ANI. President Murmu will visit the BJP leader’s home to present the Bharat Ratna owing to Advani’s ailing health

Bharat Ratna 2024 recipients

Chaudhary Charan Singh: Charan Singh served as India’s fifth prime minister from 1979 to 1980. Hailing from Noorpur in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, Singh has also served as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Home Minister of India.

PV Narasimha Rao: The ninth prime minister of India, PV Narasimha Rao has significant contribution for making important economic reforms in the country. He has also held important portfolios including the Ministry of Law and Information, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee.

MS Swaminathan: Monkomb Sambasivan Swaminathan, or MS Swaminathan, passed away on 28 September, 2023. He was called the ‘Father of the Green Revolution’ for his major role in the set of changes introduced in farming in the 1960s and ‘70s that helped India achieve food security.

Karpoori Thakur: The former chief minister of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur was popularly known as Jan Nayak for his vital role in working for the welfare of backward people.

LK Advani: With a parliamentary career spanning nearly three decades, the veteran politican held key positions including Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the cabinet of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1999-2004). He has also served as the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the longest period since its inception in 1980.