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Award for K.R.Narayanan

NEW DELHI: Describing Rajiv Gandhi as "a complete man" and a man with great dreams for his country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said there could not be a more fitting way of celebrating his life and work than by honouring former President K R Narayanan who shared the late leader's dreams and vision.

The Prime Minister was speaking after the presentation of the 13th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award to Dr. Narayanan. ``We are all proud to honour him on the 61st anniversary of the birth of our beloved Rajivji,'' he said adding that "`the Sadbhavana Award commemorates the extraordinary life of one of our brightest stars in our political firmament."

He said his personal association with the late leader had left him with an abiding impression of "a complete man, a man with great dreams for his country and for the people he truly loved."

"The freshness of his vision is quite current and his gentle charm, inspired people of great ability and patriotism to follow him in serving our great nation. One such man of great ability and conviction who shared Rajivji's dreams and visions of a new resurgent India is today's awardee, Dr. K R Narayanan," Dr. Singh said.

He said Sadbhavana was an ideal that derived from the roots of the country's civilisational ethos. It evolves from its traditional worldview which sees the universe as equal members of one large family. "I believe Rajivji would have been mightily pleased that we are today honouring Shri. K R Narayanan with the Sadbhavana Award. Narayananji is a proud example of the triumph of ability and determination over discrimination and inherited disadvantage," said Dr. Singh. — UNI

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