Guwahati, Mar 31: President of India, Droupadi Murmu conferred Bharat Ratna to former Deputy Prime Minister and BJP stalwart LK Advani at his residence in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and family members on Sunday.
At the formal ceremony, President Murmu said, “As a parliamentarian, his emphasis on dialogue enriched parliamentary traditions. Whether as Home Minister or as Deputy Prime Minister, he always prioritised the national interest above all, earning him respect and admiration from across party lines. His long and tireless struggle for India’s cultural regeneration culminated in the reconstruction of the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2024. Among the handful of post-Independence political leaders who succeeded in reshaping the national agenda and placing it on the path of development, his accomplishments provide the best articulation of the genius of India and its inclusive traditions.”
Born on November 8, 1927, 96-year-old Advani served as the 7th Deputy Prime Minister of India from 2002 to 2004. He is the longest-serving Minister of Home Affairs (1998–2004). He is also the longest-serving Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. He was the prime ministerial candidate of the BJP during the 2009 general election.
