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Pranab Mukherjee
Pranab Mukherjee was born on the 11th of December 1935 in Mirati village in Birbhum district of Bengal Presidency in British India. He is the son of Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee, who had been a member of All India Congress Committee and West Bengal Legislative Council (1952-1964). Kamada Mukherjee was also active during Indian Independence Movement.
After completing M.A. from University of Calcutta, Pranab Mukherjee worked as an upper division clerk in the office of Accountant General in Calcutta. Moving on in 1963 he became a lecturer in Vidyanagar College in Calcutta and also worked as a journalist with Desher Dak (Call of Motherland).
Mukherjee’s nearly five decades long political career began in 1969, when he successfully managed the by-election campaign of V.K. Krishna Menon from Midnapore in West Bengal. He gained confidence of Smt. Indira Gandhi and became a member of Rajya Sabha in July 1969.
Since then Pranab Mukherjee has held several prominent positions as Minister of External Affairs, Minister if Defence and Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission among others. He was in office as the 13th President of India from 25th July 2012 to 25th July 2017.
For his exceptional service to the nation during his five decades of political career, government of India conferred Pranab Mukherjee with Bharat Ratna Award on 8th August 2019.
Bharat Ratna Award
The highest civilian award of the Republic of India is known as BHARAT RATNA. It came into existence on 2nd January 1954. The award was in recognition of extraordinary performance in the field of literature, science, public services, and arts only. This award belongs to all people of India without any discrimination of sex, race, and age. Previously award belonged to only limited criteria but in December 2011 the criteria were changed to include all fields of human endeavour.
Maximum 3 nominees may be awarded per year and recommendations for the same are specially made by the PM to the President. A Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion in the shape of a peepal leaf are the only two things being given to the recipients; no money is granted with the award.
In the Indian order of precedence, the Bharat Ratna award comes in the seventh position. But Bharat Ratna recipients are constitutionally prohibited to use the award name as the title as per Article 18 of the Constitution of India.
Since 1954, 44 distinguished individuals have been awarded this prestigious and highest civilian award in the country.
