NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was on Tuesday conferred the highest French civilian award “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” (Knight of the Legion of Honour).The award was presented by Gérard Larcher, Chairman of the French Senate, on behalf of the President of France during a special ceremony here.”This is the highest French civilian award which has been awarded in recognition of Dr Tharoor’s tireless efforts to deepen Indo-French ties, commitment to international peace and cooperation, and as a long-standing friend of France,” said a spokesperson of the French Embassy.”I am immensely honoured to accept the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. 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. To my mind, the conferral of this award to an Indian is an acknowledgment of the deepening of Franco-Indian relations, and the continuity of the warmth that has been a feature of this relationship for a very long time,” said Tharoor. “This honour, in a sense, is not just a celebration of individual achievement but also reflects the collective efforts of both our countries in fostering cultural exchange and diplomatic ties, a relationship forged through the pillars of mutual respect, admiration, and collaboration that have allowed this unique association to flourish over the years. 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,” he added.
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