NEW DELHI: The Union government on Wednesday
announced the prestigious Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, for former
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and freedom fighter Madan Mohan
Malaviya.
A meeting of the Union Cabinet was convened
here on Wednesday where the decision to confer the honour on Vajpayee and
Malviya was taken.
The announcement coincides with Vajpayee's
birthday on December 25 which the government has already declared as the 'Good
Governance Day'.
A Bharat Ratna for Madan Mohan Malaviya,
freedom fighter and educationist popularly known as 'Mahamana', was one of the
promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaigns.
"The President has been pleased to award
Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari
Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
43 people have been honoured with the Bharat
Ratna since its inception, including scientist CV Raman, cricketer Sachin
Tendulkar, singer Lata Mangeshkar and politicians C Rajagopalachari.