President Droupadi Murmu today honoured former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani with the Nation’s Highest Civilian Award Bharat Ratna. The President presented the award to Mr Advani at his residence in New Delhi. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and family members of Mr Advani were present on the occasion.

In a social media post, President Murmu said, the doyen of Indian politics, Lal Krishna Advani has served the country with unwavering dedication and extraordinary skill for more than seven decades. Born in Karachi in 1927, Mr Advani came to India in 1947 in the backdrop of partition. She said, with his vision of cultural nationalism, Mr Advani worked hard for decades across the country and brought about changes in the socio-political landscape. The President said, when the Emergency threatened India’s democracy, the indomitable warrior within him helped save it from authoritarian powers.

She said, as a parliamentarian, Mr Advani’s faith in dialogue enriched parliamentary traditions. The President said, as Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, he always kept the national interest paramount, which earned him respect and admiration from people cutting across party lines. She said, his long and tireless struggle for the cultural revival of India culminated in the reconstruction of Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2024.

President Murmu said, Mr Advani is one of the few political leaders after independence who was successful in reshaping national priorities and taking the country forward on the path of development. She said, the achievements of Mr Advani provide the best expression of India’s innate talent and inclusive traditions.

In a social media post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, it was very special to witness the conferring of the Bharat Ratna upon Mr L K Advani. He said, this honour is a recognition of his enduring contributions to the nation’s progress. The Prime Minister said, the dedication of Mr Advani to public service and his pivotal role in shaping modern India have left an indelible mark on the history. Mr Modi said, he is proud to have got the opportunity to work with Mr Advani very closely over the last several decades.