Honour for Me, and for the Ideals I Served: LK Advani on Receiving Bharat Ratna

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Feb. Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani expressed his gratitude upon receiving the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award. He stated that this honor is not only for him as an individual, but also for the ideals and principles that he dedicated his life to. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing his name for this prestigious award and described it as an emotional moment.

In his acceptance speech, the 96-year-old leader reflected on his journey, starting from when he joined the RSS, the ideological mentor of the BJP, at the age of 14. He emphasized that throughout his life, he found fulfillment in serving his beloved country selflessly and wholeheartedly.

He also shared the mantra that has guided his life, “Idam-na-mama,” which means “This life is not mine.” This perspective, rooted in Indian philosophical thought, is often recited during sacred and ceremonial offerings.

LK Advani expressed his gratitude to two influential figures, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with whom he had the privilege of working closely. He also thanked his party workers and his late wife Kamla, acknowledging their support and strength throughout his public life.

Furthermore, he extended his thanks to President Droupadi Murmu and PM Modi for bestowing this honor upon him.

This is the seventh Bharat Ratna awarded by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi since taking office in 2014. Previous recipients include Karpoori Thakur, Madan Mohan Malviya, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Pranab Mukherjee, Bhupen Hazarika, and Nanaji Deshmukh.

LK Advani, born in Karachi (now in Pakistan) on November 8, 1927, is renowned as the longest-serving president of the BJP since its establishment in 1980. He had a distinguished parliamentary career spanning nearly three decades, during which he served as the Home Minister and later the Deputy Prime Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s cabinet (1999-2004).