Bihar's former chief minister Karpoori Thakur will be posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna award, India's highest civilian honour. While making the announcement on X on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi paid tributes to the leader on his X handle.
“I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment," he said.
Revered as 'Jannayak' by his followers, the iconic socialist leader was known for championing the cause of backward classes. He served as the CM from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. Thakur died on February 17, 1988. The highlight of his tenure was providing reservations for the backward classes in government jobs, a move that would eventually set the tone for the Mandal Commission report in 1990.