PM Modi hails former President Pranab Mukherjee on Bharat Ratna honour, calls him an outstanding statesman of our times

PM Modi has issued a post on social media about former President of India Pranab Mukherjee being honoured with the Bharat Ratna - India's highest civilian award.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister has called the senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister "an outstanding statesman of our times".

He adds that Pranab Mukherjee "has served the nation selflessly and tirelessly for decades, leaving a strong imprint on the nation's growth trajectory."

Finally, PM Modi has commended the former President's wisdom and intellect and expresses his delight at the award being conferred upon him. 

Alongside Pranab Mukherjee, social activist Nanaji Deshmukh and musician-singer-poet Dr Bhupen Hazarika have had the Bharat Ratna conferred upon them, both posthumously.

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.