Shashi Tharoor, conferred with the highest French civilian honour 'Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur'
At a ceremony in New Delhi on 20th February, Shashi Tharoor, a prolific author and a diplomat-turned-politician was awarded the highest French civilian honor, known as the Knight of the Legion of Honour, or Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. The president of the French Senate, Gerard Larcher, presented the Congress MP with the coveted honor in the French Embassy.
The former Union minister Shashi Tharoor received the medal on Tuesday, although the French government had announced it in August 2022. A statement issued by the French Embassy said, "The highest French civilian award came 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. Be it as a diplomat at the United Nations, where he worked to respond to some of the world’s toughest crises, and served as Under-Secretary-General, as a renowned writer who has authored works imbued with the spirit of a contemporary Indian odyssey, or as a statesman in India."
French Senate Gerard Larcher refers Shashi Tharoor as "friend of France" and a "Francophone"
Chairman of the French Senate Gerard Larcher conferred the honor upon Shashi Tharoor, referring to him as a "friend of France" and a "Francophone" with an acute awareness of the nation and its customs.
He 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 recognizes your accomplishments, your friendship, your love of France, your commitment to a fairer world.”
Shashi Tharoor said, "I am immensely honored 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 acknowledgement 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. "
He further added, "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."
