Guwahati, July 28, 2019

Country’s highest civilian award – Bharat Ratna will be given posthumously to the legendary singer from Assam Bhupen Hazarika, who is also known as ‘Sur Samrat’, and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh on August 8^th, 2019.

The 13^th President of India Pranab Mukherjee will also be honoured with the award.

The announcement had been made in a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 28^th, 2019.

Deshmukh, was born on October 11th, 1916 and passed away on February 27th, 2010, was a social activist and former Rajya Sabha member and a prominent leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangha. He was also conferred Padma Vibhushan in 1999.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already congratulated Mukherjee for his decades of service to the country. Mukherjee had also been congratulated by Rahul Gandhi.

It may be mentioned that Bhupen Hazarika’s son Tez Hazarika on February 11^th, 2019, while opposing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s attempt to implement the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, informed the family members’ decision to reject the country’s highest civilian honour – Bharat Ratna that was conferred posthumously to the singer on the 2019 Republic Day.

The award – Bharat Ratna has been conferred to the legendary singer after eight years of his death.