Renowned saffron leader and senior BJP member LK Advani is set to receive the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, as declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.
Using social media, Prime Minister Modi expressed that the former Union Minister has made a significant contribution to India's development.
"I am very happy to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. I also spoke to him and congratulated him on being conferred this honour. One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister. He distinguished himself as our Home Minister and I&B Minister as well. His Parliamentary interventions have always been exemplary, full of rich insights," PM Modi posted on X.
Born on November 8, 1927, in Karachi, which is now in Pakistan, Advani has had a long-standing association with the Bharatiya Janata Party, serving as its President for the longest duration since its establishment in 1980. With a parliamentary career spanning almost thirty years, he held the positions of Home Minister and later Deputy Prime Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's cabinet from 1999 to 2004.
Advani is widely seen as a person with exceptional intellect, firm values, and steadfast dedication to the concept of a powerful and prosperous India. According to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Advani has consistently upheld his fundamental belief in nationalism while also demonstrating adaptability in his political approach as required by circumstances.
The esteemed leader's joy over India's freedom from British rule in 1947 was cut short when he, like millions of others, was forced to leave his homeland during the violent and chaotic partition. Despite these hardships, he did not succumb to bitterness or cynicism; instead, he was motivated to strive for a more inclusive India. With this vision, he traveled to Rajasthan to further his work as an RSS Pracharak.
During the latter part of the 1980s and throughout the 1990s, LK Advani dedicated himself to the task of establishing the BJP as a significant national political entity. His efforts yielded significant results in the 1989 General Election, with the party's seat count rising from 2 in 1984 to an impressive 86. Subsequently, the party's position continued to strengthen, reaching 121 seats in 1992 and 161 in 1996.
The 1996 elections marked a pivotal moment in Indian democracy, as the BJP, for the first time since independence, surpassed the Congress to become the largest party in the Lok Sabha.