Tributes poured in for former President Pranab Mukherjee on his 86th birth anniversary. (File)
President Ram Nath Kovind led the tributes to Pranab Mukherjee on his 86th birth anniversary on Saturday. A veteran politician, Pranab Mukherjee served as Union Minister in several governments before becoming India's 13th President.
“President Ram Nath Kovind paid floral tributes to Shri Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India, on his birth anniversary at Raj Bhavan, Uttarakhand,” the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a tweet along with an image.
Remembering the Congress stalwart, Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu said Pranab Mukherjee was an erudite statesman, towering intellectual and a consensus builder. “Pranab Da whom I had the privilege of knowing well, served the nation with distinction in various capacities,” the tweet read.
Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit and daughter Sharmistha remembered their father and said he was a guiding light.
“Baba, you have always been the guiding light for me and my family! Today You may not be with us in person but I know you are always with us till we are here,” Abhijit Mukherjee wrote in a tweet along with a picture with his father.
Sharmistha Mukherjee also paid homage to her grandparents on the occasion.
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Dharmendra Pradhan and Sarbananda Sonowal also remembered Pranab Mukherjee on the occasion.
“Humble tribute to the former President Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee on his birth anniversary,” said Mr Gadkari.
Mr Pradhan said Pranab Mukherjee was a leader who was “admired across party lines.”
Sarbananda Sonowal described Pranab Mukherjee as “an erudite scholar and towering statesman” and said he continued to “guide us in every aspect of public life.”
Describing the party veteran as “a visionary, a statesman and a devote patriot,” the Congress said Pranab Mukherjee contributed in countless ways to the development of India. “We pay our tribute to him on his birth anniversary.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said President Mukherjee was “an able administrator and a great orator”.
“Humble tributes to former President Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee on his birth anniversary. As an outstanding parliamentarian and a distinguished statesman, he was admired across the political spectrum and will always be remembered for his contribution to nation-building,” wrote Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Pranab Mukherjee was born on December 11, 1935, in West Bengal's Birbhum district. He became the 13th President of India in July 2012. He was conferred the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of India, in 2019. He died on August 31, 2020.