<p>Former President Pranab Mukherjee was conferred Bharat Ratna by President Ram Nath Kovind at a special function at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday evening.</p>.<p>Kovind also honoured veteran RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh and renowned musician Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian honour, posthumously.</p>.<p>Mukherjee, Hazarika and Deshmukh were named for the coveted award in January, on the eve of the Republic Day.</p>.<p>Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior union ministers, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, R P N Singh and Shashi Tharoor were among those present at the Rashtrapati Bhawan when the awards were presented.</p>.<p>However, UPA chairperson President Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were conspicuous by their absence.</p>.<p>Virendrajeet Singh, the Director of the Deendayal Research Institute founded by Nanaji Deshmukh in 1968, accepted the award on behalf of the veteran RSS leader who passed away in 2010.</p>.<p>Tej Hazarika, the son of late Bhupen Hazarika, received the award on his father's behalf from the President.</p>.<p>Mukherjee was all smiles as he received the award from his successor Kovind, with whom he also was seen exchanging a few words.</p>.<p>Mukherjee's choice for the Bharat Ratna had surprised many and Modi had cited it as an example that a BJP government does not hesitate in recognising the contribution of political rivals to nation-building.</p>.<p>Mukherjee's visit to the RSS Headquarters in June last year had caused heartburn within the Congress, prompting a section of leaders of his erstwhile party question his commitment to the Gandhi-Nehru ideology.</p>.<p>Mukherjee had told the RSS cadres that the “soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance”, the most clear lesson in Nehruvian ideology.</p>.<p>Deshmukh was one of the founders of Bhartiya Jan Sangh, which later evolved into the BJP. He also worked closely with Jaiprakash Narayan to launch the mass movement against Emergency.</p>.<p>Hazarika was a poet, music composer, singer, actor, journalist, author and filmmaker, all rolled into one. He took the rich folk heritage of Assam and interpreted it beautifully for the world through his songs.</p>
<p>Former President Pranab Mukherjee was conferred Bharat Ratna by President Ram Nath Kovind at a special function at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday evening.</p>.<p>Kovind also honoured veteran RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh and renowned musician Bhupen Hazarika with Bharat Ratna, the nation's highest civilian honour, posthumously.</p>.<p>Mukherjee, Hazarika and Deshmukh were named for the coveted award in January, on the eve of the Republic Day.</p>.<p>Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior union ministers, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, R P N Singh and Shashi Tharoor were among those present at the Rashtrapati Bhawan when the awards were presented.</p>.<p>However, UPA chairperson President Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi were conspicuous by their absence.</p>.<p>Virendrajeet Singh, the Director of the Deendayal Research Institute founded by Nanaji Deshmukh in 1968, accepted the award on behalf of the veteran RSS leader who passed away in 2010.</p>.<p>Tej Hazarika, the son of late Bhupen Hazarika, received the award on his father's behalf from the President.</p>.<p>Mukherjee was all smiles as he received the award from his successor Kovind, with whom he also was seen exchanging a few words.</p>.<p>Mukherjee's choice for the Bharat Ratna had surprised many and Modi had cited it as an example that a BJP government does not hesitate in recognising the contribution of political rivals to nation-building.</p>.<p>Mukherjee's visit to the RSS Headquarters in June last year had caused heartburn within the Congress, prompting a section of leaders of his erstwhile party question his commitment to the Gandhi-Nehru ideology.</p>.<p>Mukherjee had told the RSS cadres that the “soul of India resides in pluralism and tolerance”, the most clear lesson in Nehruvian ideology.</p>.<p>Deshmukh was one of the founders of Bhartiya Jan Sangh, which later evolved into the BJP. He also worked closely with Jaiprakash Narayan to launch the mass movement against Emergency.</p>.<p>Hazarika was a poet, music composer, singer, actor, journalist, author and filmmaker, all rolled into one. He took the rich folk heritage of Assam and interpreted it beautifully for the world through his songs.</p>
