Shashi Tharoor received France’s highest civilian award “Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur”. This event was held at the French Embassy. French Senate President Gerard Larcher praised the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram.
The honor was announced in August 2022 but awarded on 20 February. France recognized Tharoor for his efforts to strengthen the bond between India and France, his commitment to global peace and his friendship with France, according to a statement from the French embassy.
Larcher highlighted Tharoor’s impressive career and his commitment to promoting a better world.
“Through his distinguished career as a diplomat, writer and politician, Shashi Tharoor embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that led him to live several lives in one, all in the service of India and a better world. ”, PTI quoted Larcher as saying.
Tharoor expressed his gratitude while receiving the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur.
“In my view, the awarding of this award to an Indian is a recognition of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations and the continuity of warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time,” Tharoor said.
What is a Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur?
The Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor) was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. It is France’s highest civilian honor, recognizing extraordinary achievements and services rendered to France. It includes contributions to art, literature, science, and public service, among others.
Indians who received the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur
Durga Charan Rakshit was the first Indian to receive this honour. Rakshit won the award in 1896 for his humanitarian work. Then, in 1937, it was acquired by Mohamed Haniff – the deputy mayor of Pondicherry in French India. In independent India, this honor went to Elattuvalapil Sreedharan in 2005.
Photo: Rajanish Kakade, AP
Another award went to Cedric Prakash (2006) and Anjali Gopalan (2013), both human rights activists. In 2014, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan received the award. Tata Sons Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran received the honor in 2023.
