The Union government on February 9, 2024, announced former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and agriculture scientist M.S. Swaminathan will be honoured with the country’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna posthumously.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter) to make the announcement.
“Narasimha Rao Garu’s tenure as Prime Minister was marked by significant measures that opened India to global markets, fostering a new era of economic development. Furthermore, his contributions to India’s foreign policy, language and education sectors underscore his multifaceted legacy as a leader who not only steered India through critical transformations but also enriched its cultural and intellectual heritage,” Mr. Modi’s post read.
On the late scientist Swaminathan, Mr. Modi said, he was being honoured for “his monumental contributions to our nation in agriculture and farmers’ welfare.” Mr. Modi also recollected his interactions with the late Swaminathan. “He was someone I knew closely and l always valued his insights and inputs.”
This year, the Bharat Ratna has been announced for four people – the late socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, and former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani being the other two.