Intentar ORO - Gratis
Bharat Ratna for farm icon, two former PMs
Hindustan Times
|February 10, 2024
Former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and scientist MS Swaminathan, will be posthumously conferred India's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.
-
It was in Rao's term that India opened up its economy; Singh was an iconic farm and socialist leader; and Swaminathan was the man behind India's Green Revolution which made the country self-sufficient in grains.
The award and its timing, months ahead of general elections, bears political significance: honouring Rao exploits the fault-lines that existed between him and the Gandhi family leadership of the Congress party after 1991; and awarding Singh helps the Bharatiya Janata Party edge closer to his son and Rashtriya Lok Dal's Jayant Chaudhary, who commands support in Uttar Pradesh. Indeed, there are reports that the two parties have already arrived at an understanding that will be announced soon.
With the three names announced on Friday, the government has now announced five Bharat Ratnas in a single year the other two include BJP leader and former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani, and two-time Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur - which is almost a tenth of the 53 announced since the award's inception. In a series of posts, Modi called it his government's good fortune that Singh is being honoured with the Bharat Ratna.
"This honour is dedicated to his incomparable contribution to the country. He dedicated his life to the rights and welfare of farmers." Modi cited Singh's role in nation-building as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, the country's home minister, and as a lawmaker. "He also stood firm against the Emergency. His dedication to farmers and his commitment to democracy during the Emergency is inspiring."
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief and Singh's grandson, Jayant Chaudhary, responded to Modi's post on X announcing the award, saying it has "won hearts". The response came amid speculation that the RLD could join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance.
Esta historia es de la edición February 10, 2024 de Hindustan Times.
Suscríbete a Magzter GOLD para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9000 revistas y periódicos.
¿Ya eres suscriptor? Iniciar sesión
MÁS HISTORIAS DE Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
12 get bail in Turkman Gate clash case
A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to 12 persons held for allegedly indulging in violence during a demolition drive near the Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque in Turkman Gate last month, observing that the prosecution failed to establish specified roles of the persons.
1 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
This Taapsee-Anubhav film is important, impactful, inconsistent
A subject that remains painfully relevant.
1 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
‘We have talent to become AI powerhouse’
Artificial Intelligence represents a “transformative opportunity” in India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, asserting that the country is leveraging AI not to deepen divides but to bridge them by expanding access to opportunity.
6 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
‘Benefits should be equal, not for a few’
I promises significant benefits across areas, but the key is to ensure these benefits are for everyone, not just a few, said Anne Bouverot, the French President's Special Envoy for AI.
4 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
India, France boost security, energy ties
India and France on Tuesday upgraded their relations to a special global strategic partnership and took several steps to deepen ties in defence, technology, critical minerals and energy, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron held up the bilateral partnership as a force of global stability and progress in a turbulent era.
3 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
Rahman takes oath as PM
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman was sworn in as prime minister on Tuesday, marking an important political shift in the South Asian nation following a period of turmoil. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla participated in the swearing-in of Bangladesh’s new government in Dhaka on Tuesday and handed over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to his Bangladeshi counterpart Tarique Rahman to visit India, signalling New Delhi's intention to move quickly to rebuild bilateral ties.
1 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
44mn voters in final Gujarat roll, drop of 13% from pre-SIR list
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday published the final rolls for Gujarat after nearly three-and-a-half months of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, reflecting an overall deletion of 13.4% compared to the voter list before the exercise.
1 min
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
NCP seeks CBI probe into Baramati crash
Amid growing speculation over the January 28 plane crash that claimed the life of former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar and NCP national working president Praful Patel, met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday and sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
1 min
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
Canada’s Yuvraj goes out with a century
When Yuvraj Singh burst onto the international scene in 2000, he ignited the cricketing dreams of countless young fans.a
2 mins
February 18, 2026
Hindustan Times
Jada seeks dismissal of $3M lawsuit by Will's friend
Actor Jada Pinkett Smith is asking a California court to dismiss a $3 million (approx 27 crore) lawsuit filed by Bilaal Salaam, Will Smith's former best friend, in December 2025, alleging that she threatened him at a hotel.
1 min
February 18, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size