President honours Pranab, Nanaji, Hazarika with Bharat Ratna

President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, on former President Pranab Mukherjee, Bharatiya Jana Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh, and singer Bhupen Hazarika at a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Hazarika and Deshmukh were given the Bharat Ratna posthumously. ‘Pranab Da’, who was President between 2012 and 2017, is the fifth President to receive this award.