Renowned author and politician, Shashi Tharoor, was awarded France's highest civilian honour, Chevalier de la Legion d'honneur, during a ceremony held at the French Embassy.
Tharoor, a Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram and former Union minister, received the prestigious award from French Senate President Gerard Larcher. Initially announced by the French government in August 2022, the award was officially conferred on Tharoor during the recent ceremony.
The French Embassy's statement highlighted that the prestigious French civilian award was granted to Dr. Tharoor in acknowledgment of his unwavering dedication to strengthening Indo-French relations, his steadfast commitment to international peace and cooperation, and his enduring friendship with France.
Conferring the honour on Tharoor, Chairman of the French Senate Larcher said, Through his outstanding career as a diplomat, author and politician, Shashi Tharoor has embraced the world with a thirst for knowledge and an intelligence that has led him to live several lifetimes in one, and all of them in service to India and a better world. Dr Tharoor is also a true friend of France, a Francophone with a keen understanding of France and its culture. Through this award, which I have the privilege to confer, the French Republic recognises your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world, Larcher said.
Receiving the recognition, Tharoor said he was immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour). As someone who admires France, its people, their refinement, their language, and their culture, especially their literature and cinema, I am deeply humbled to be conferred your country's highest civilian honour.
I look forward to continuing my own efforts towards nurturing this friendship and promoting further cooperation between India and France, for the betterment of our shared global community and to safeguard the common values that underpin our basic humanity, Tharoor added.