New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS): Days after the Central government conferred ex-Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur with nation’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna’s family met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital on Monday.

The family and close relatives of Karpoori Thakur expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for bestowing the honour on one of the tallest leaders of Bihar.

Later, while speaking to the newsmen, the family members also shared their first experiences of meeting the Prime Minister.

“The news of Bharat Ratna was like Deepawali celebration for us. Not just us but the whole village broke into celebration over the great honour bestowed on Karpoori Thakur ji,” said one of the family members.

Another family member hailed the move as a ‘recognition for deserving people and real contributors’ and said this will set a new precedent of governance.

PM Modi also took to X and expressed happiness over meeting Thakur’s family. He said that the Bharat Ratna awardee’s ideals and principles will continue to guide many future generations.

For the unversed, Karpoori Thakur was a ‘trendsetter’ in politics who championed the principles of social justice and advocated equal rights to all the strata of society, including the downtrodden and marginalised ones.

Karpoori Thakur led a valiant fight against social discrimination all his life and this earned him an epithet of ‘Jan Nayak’.

Notably, PM Modi had announced the Bharat Ratna award for ex-Bihar Chief Minister on latter’s birth centenary. Announcing government’s decision to confer the honour, he wrote on X, “This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment.”