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Updated January 25th, 2019 at 21:36 IST

"I got a lot more from the people of our great country than I have given to them", says Former President Pranab Mukherjee accepting the Bharat Ratna

Former President Pranab Mukherjee has issued a tweet graciously accepting the Bharat Ratna that has been bestowed upon him on Friday

Reported by: Ankit Prasad
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Former President Pranab Mukherjee has issued a tweet graciously accepting the Bharat Ratna that has been bestowed upon him on Friday.

"It is with a deep sense of humility and gratitude to the people of India that I accept this great honour #BharatRatna bestowed upon me", he begins, with the second line more than living up to what he said in the first:

"I have always said and I repeat, that I have got more from the people of our great country than I have given to them. #CitizenMukherjee"

The former President has been bestowed with the Bharat Ratna - India's highest civilian honour - alongside musical maestro Bhupen Hazarika and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh.

PM Modi tweeted his delight at the award being conferred upon the former President, writing:

The Bharat Ratna - India's highest civilian honour - is conferred on people in recognition of their exceptional service, contribution, performance of the highest order without distinction of race, occupation, position or sex. Till December 2011, the award was limited to achievements in the fields of arts, literature, science, and public services, but the criteria has since been expanded to include any field of human endeavour. Recommendations for the Bharat Ratna are made by the Prime Minister to the President, with a maximum of three nominees being awarded per year.

Pranab Mukherjee, who was President of India between 2012-17, has been an ever-present in Indian politics for almost half a century and has served in multiple key ministerial berths across a wide range of Congress-led governments.

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Published January 25th, 2019 at 21:19 IST

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