Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Shashi Tharoor has been awarded France’s highest civilian award. Tharoor has been awarded the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur (The Legion of Honor). Tharoor was also a diplomat in the United Nations for 23 years. He is also a famous writer with many fiction and non-fiction books. France has given him this honor because of his writing and speeches.
French Ambassador to Delhi Emmanuel Lenin has written to Tharoor informing him about the honour.
Tharoor replied, “Thanks. As one who cherishes our relations with France, loves the language and admires the culture, I am honoured to be recognized in this way. My gratitude & appreciation to those who have seen fit to award me this distinction.”
People reading Tharoor’s books know that he is known as Wordsmith. Napoleon Bonaparte established this honor in 1802. This French Order of Merit is honored for excellent civil or military conduct. After the news of France’s highest civilian honor, Shashi Tharoor has been congratulated by people on Twitter.
In 2010, Tharoor received a similar honor from the Spanish government, when the Spanish king honoured him the Encomienda de la Real Order Espanola de Carlos III.
Shashi Tharoor is a two -time Lok Sabha MP and represents the Thiruvananthapuram constituency and is the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs. He has previously served as Minister of State for Human Resource Development and Minister of State for External Affairs in the UPA Government.