Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Dr Bhupen Hazarika awarded Bharat Ratna

The government on Friday announced Bharat Ratna for Bharatiya Jana Sangh ideologue Nanaji Deshmukh, eminent Assamese poet Bhupen Hazarika and former President Pranab Mukherjee. Nanaji Deshmukh and Dr Bhupen Hazarika will be awarded the country's highest civilian award posthumously. Pranab Mukherjee has served as the President of India from 2012-2017.

The Bharat Ratna has been conferred after a gap of four years. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and founder of Banaras Hindu University Madan Mohan Malviya were given the award by the Narendra Modi government in 2015.

After the decision, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted acknowledging the role of all the three prominent personalities.

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"Pranab Da is an outstanding statesman of our times. He has served the nation selflessly and tirelessly for decades, leaving a strong imprint on the nation's growth trajectory. His wisdom and intellect have few parallels. Delighted that he has been conferred the Bharat Ratna," he said in a tweet.

Last year, Mukherjee had drawn flak from certain quarters for attending an RSS function in Nagpur.

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The 83-year-old Mukherjee, who was also known as the quintessential Man Friday of the Congress, joins the elite club with Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Rajendra Prasad, Zakir Hussain and V V Giri who had been conferred the coveted award.

"The songs and music of Shri Bhupen Hazarika are admired by people across generations. From them radiates the message of justice, harmony and brotherhood. He popularised India's musical traditions globally. Happy that the Bharat Ratna has been conferred on Bhupen Da," the prime minister said in another tweet.

Hazarika, who died in 2011, had a brush with politics and had unsuccessfully contested the Guwahati Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket in 2004. He was an independent MLA in Assam during 1967-72.

Hazarika gave music in Bollywood movies Rudaali, Darmiyaan, Gaja Gamini, Daman and many Assamese hits, including award winning film 'Sameli Memsaab'.

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In his third tweet, PM Modi said Nanaji Deshmukh's "stellar contribution" towards rural development showed the way for a new paradigm of empowering those living in our villages.

"He personifies humility, compassion and service to the downtrodden. He is a Bharat Ratna in the truest sense!," he added.

Nanaji Deshmukh was associated with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh since 1928 till his death in Satna, Madhya Pradesh, in 2010 at the age of 94 and was known for starting the chain of RSS inspired schools throughout India.

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He was one of the founder members of Bharatiya Jan Sangh which later evolved as Bharatiya Janta Party.

He was considered to be one of the architects of the Jai Prakash Narain movement against Emergency in 1974 and among the key persons in the formation of Janata Party government in 1977.

WATCH: Bharat Ratna for Pranab Mukherjee, Nanaji Deshmukh and Bhupen Hazarika