'One-Of-A-Kind': PM Modi Pays Tribute To 13th President Pranab Mukherjee On His Birth Anniversary

The veteran Congress leader, Pranab Mukherjee, served as a Union Minister in multiple governments before becoming India’s 13th president.

Pranab Mukherjee passed away on August 31, 2020, at 84.

Source : X/@narendramodi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to former president Pranab Mukherjee on his birth anniversary and described him as a one-of-a-kind public figure — a statesman par excellence, a remarkable administrator, and a repository of wisdom.

The veteran Congress leader served as a Union Minister in multiple governments before becoming India’s 13th president. He passed away on August 31, 2020, at 84.

"Remembering Shri Pranab Mukherjee on his birth anniversary. Pranab Babu was a one-of-a-kind public figure - a statesman par excellence, a wonderful administrator and a repository of wisdom," Modi said in a post on X.

"His contributions to India's development are noteworthy. He was blessed with a unique ability to build consensus across the spectrum and this was due to his vast experience in governance and his deep understanding of India's culture as well as ethos," Modi said. "We will keep working to realise his vision for our nation," he added.

An eminent politician spanning a five decade long career, he served as the 13th President of India from 2012 until 2017.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, wrote Mukherjee was a “vital figure in national life and the Congress party”.

“India’s true story is the partnership of the people. Our wealth has been created by farmers and workers, industrialists and service-providers, soldiers and civilians.

- Pranab Mukherjee”

“We remember the contribution of Former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, to nation-building,” Kharge said.

He further added, “A vital figure in national life and the Congress party for over five decades, he brought his wisdom, experience, and profound understanding of diverse subjects to every Constitutional position he held”.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded Mukherjee as a "statesman par excellence" and highlighted his extensive contributions to the country's political landscape.

"Paying homage to former President of India Pranab Mukherjee Ji on his birth anniversary. A statesman par excellence, Pranab da played a significant role in national administration," Shah wrote. Shah emphasised Mukherjee's profound impact as the President of India, describing how he transformed the role of the presidency. "As the President of India, he endowed the highest office with his vast experience in public life, fostering a new role for it as the people's office. His enduring legacy will guide our nation forever," Shah added.

A Bharat Ratna awardee, Pranab Mukherjee, born on December 11, 1935, in Mirati village, Birbhum District, West Bengal, to freedom fighters Kamada Kinkar Mukherjee and Rajlakshmi, passed away on August 31, 2020, at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) in Delhi. He had been admitted to the hospital following surgery to remove a brain clot.