With former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee receiving the Bharat Ratna on Friday, incumbent Narendra Modi dubbed the day as 'historic' for crores of Indians, and showered praise on President Pranab Mukherjee for departing from convention and personally visiting the ailing statesman's residence to confer him the honour.
Prime Minister Modi took to twitter to share his sentiments.
"Today is a historic day for crores of Indians like me, when former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee is being awarded the Bharat Ratna," he tweeted.
"Departing from convention,Rashtrapatiji is going to Atalji's residence to confer him the Bharat Ratna. This gesture reflects grace and dignity," he added.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan had, via a press communique, earlier in December stated that President Mukherjee will be conferring the Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Vajpayee.
The Bharat Ratna is the country's highest civilian award.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
