Former Bihar Chief Minister and socialist leader Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously, Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday. It is the highest civilian award in India. Thakur was known for championing the cause of the backward classes. He served as the Bihar CM from December 1970 to June 1971 (Socialist Party/Bharatiya Kranti Dal), and from December 1977 to April 1979 (Janata Party). Thakur was popularly known as Jan Nayak. As a student activist, he left his graduate college to join the Quit India Movement. For his participation in the Indian independence movement, he spent 26 months in prison.
After the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment.”
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Ex-Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously
