In Pics: Bharat Ratna conferred upon Malaviya, Padma Vibhushan bestowed to L K Advani

New Delhi, March 30: Noted educationist and freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malviya was on Monday posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna, country's highest civilian award, by President Pranab Mukherjee.

A host of other other personalities included veteran BJP leader L K Advani and Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal, were honoured with Padma awards by Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Members of Malviya's family received the Bharat Ratna from Mukherjee at the traditional ceremony held in the historic Durbar Hall with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with other senior cabinet ministers in attendance.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Rajat Sharma

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Rajat Sharma during Padma Awards 2015 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

Family members of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya receving the Bharat Ratna

Family members of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya receving the Bharat Ratna (posthumous) from President Pranab Mukherjee during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to P V Sindhu

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to P V Sindhu during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to Sardar Singh

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to Sardar Singh during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to Tarak Janubhai Mehta

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Shri to Tarak Janubhai Mehta during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Sardar Parkash Singh Badal

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Sardar Parkash Singh Badal during Padma Awards 2015 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Saichiro Misumi

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Saichiro Misumi during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Lal Krishna Advani

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Vibhushan to Lal Krishna Advani during Padma Awards 2015 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Sudha Ragunathan

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Sudha Ragunathan during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Satpal

President Pranab Mukherjee presents Padma Bhushan to Satpal during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi with awardees during Padma Awards 2015 function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday.

The prominent who were awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, included Advani and Badal, while Padma Bhushan was awarded to lawyer Harish Salve and journalists Swapan Dasgupta and Rajat Sharma.

Amongst the prominent Padma Shri awardees were film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, writer-lyricist Prasoon Joshi, physician Dr Randeep Guleria, creator of popular cartoon character 'Chacha Chaudhary' Pran Kumar Sharma (posthumously), shuttler PV Sindhu, Hockey star Sardara Singh and amputee Everest climber Arunima Sinha.

Last week, the President had awarded the Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at his house in Delhi.

Malviya, an educationist with a vision, was behind the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University. Born on December 25, 1861, Malviya was catapulted into the political arena immediately after his first moving speech at the second Congress session held in Kolkata in 1886.

He was President of INC in 1909 and 1918. Malviya is also remembered for his stellar role in the Independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism. He was one of the initial leaders of the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha.

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)