France described Tharoor as a remarkable personality for the range of talents he has demonstrated throughout his outstanding academic and professional career.
Author and diplomat-turned-politician Shashi Tharoor was conferred with France’s highest civilian honour ‘Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur’, or Knight of the Legion of Honour, at a ceremony in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Congress MP was conferred the prestigious award at the French Embassy by French Senate President Gerard Larcher.
“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,” the French Embassy said in a statement.
The French government had announced the honour for Tharoor in August 2022 but was conferred on him on Tuesday.
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.
‘An Era of Darkness’, ‘Pax Indica’ and ‘The Great Indian Novel’ are some of the most popular names among the plethora of books written by Tharoor.
Receiving the award, Tharoor said he was 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.”