New Delhi, Jan 25 (NIE): President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India, on former president Pranab Mukherjee. The award was also conferred on Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh and legendary singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika posthumously.
Born on 11 December 1935, Mukherjee served as president between 2012 and 2017. He has been a senior leader in the Congress and held several ministerial portfolios. He was also the finance minister from 2009-2012 under the prime ministership of Manmohan Singh. Having got his break in politics in 1969, Mukherjee had worked closely with former PM Indira Gandhi, becoming one of her trusted lieutenants.
Bhupen Hazarika, Pranab Mukherjee and Nanaji Deshmukh
Deshmukh was a Sangh Parivar veteran, founder member of the Janata Party and one of the seniormost members of the Bharatiya Janata Party. A social activist, Nanaji played an important role in carrying out social restructuring programme in over 500 villages of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.