President confers Bharat Ratna on Malviya

New Delhi, March 30:

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously on Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya.

The president gave the awards at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

The medallion and scroll for the same award was also given to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Friday at his residence by the president as the former prime minister could not come to Rashtrapati Bhavan because of ill health.

The Padma awards, which are generally announced on the eve of Republic Day every year, this year included two Bharat Ratnas, three Padma Vibhushans, 12 Padma Bhushans and 34 Padma Shris.

Senior BJP leader and former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya received the prestigious Padma Vibhushan.

Political commentator and journalist Swapan Dasgupta, IT wizard and founder of Microsoft Corporation Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates, and well-known TV personality Rajat Sharma were honoured with Padma Bhushan.

The Gates couple, however, could not come to personally receive their awards.

Under the Padma Shri category Prasoon Joshi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Tarak Janubhai Mehta were some of the well-known people, who received the honour from the president.