India yesterday conferred its highest civilian honour on former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who is credited with bringing about a thaw in relations with Pakistan, and late freedom fighter-educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya.

The charismatic Vajpayee, a leader from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who turns 90 today and is in ill health, was prime minister first in 1996 and again from 1998 to 2004.

Both Vajpayee and Malaviya were born on December 25 - the former prime minister in 1924 and the late freedom fighter in 1861. The day has also been declared as “Good Governance Day” by the government.

Known for his consensual approach, his nearly five decades of parliamentary experience earned him respect across the political spectrum, including from the rival Congress Party.

Current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also of the BJP, said he was “delighted” by the decision to award Vajpayee the Bharat Ratna.

“A guide, inspiration & giant among giants. His contribution to India is invaluable,” Modi tweeted.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars and came close to a fourth in 2002 before Vajpayee extended the hand of friendship to Islamabad.

Malviya established India’s renowned Banaras Hindu University and also took part in the country’s independence movement.

The honour for Gwalior-born Vajpayee came after years of demands from people across party affiliations and the public at large.

The announcement came in the first year of Modi-led government.

BJP leaders, including party veteran L K Advani, had been demanding Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee for several years.

The 90-year-old veteran politician re-started the Bharatiya Jan Sangh as the Bharatiya Janata Party in 1980 and was the first head of government from outside the Congress to serve a full five-year term.

He served the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, for 10 terms that began in 1957 and concluded in 2009.

An orator par excellence, Vajpayee earned much fame as India’s external affairs minister in prime minister Morarji Desai’s government when he delivered a widely acclaimed speech to the United Nations General Assembly in Hindi.

The Allahabad-born Malaviya was the president of the Indian National Congress for two terms and was also among the first leaders of the rightwing Hindu Mahasabha. Besides being a freedom fighter and politician, he was an eminent educationist.

The Banaras Hindu University was founded by him in 1916. He died a year before India’s Independence on August 15, 1947.

The Congress welcomed the decision to confer the Bharat Ratna on Vajpayee and Malaviya.

“We welcome the conferring of Bharat Ratna on Pt Madan Mohan Malaviya and Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. We congratulate,” Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said in a tweet.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the prime minister had requested President Pranab Mukherjee to confer the award to the two leaders and he agreed happily.

“I congratulate all people of the country,” Singh said.

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