His Majesty The King led the government and the Indian Ambassador in offering prayers and a thousand butter lamps for His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee at the Simtokha Dzong. The former President of India passed away yesterday. He was 84.
His Excellency was well-loved across party lines in India as President when he served from 2012 to 2017. During his long career in the government of India, he served as foreign, defence, commerce, and finance minister under various administrations for almost five decades. The former President made many visits to Bhutan, as Foreign Minister as well as President. Throughout his career, His Excellency remained a steadfast friend of Bhutan. The people of Bhutan mourn his passing and condole His Excellency’s family and the people of India.
The former president was elected to India’s upper house of parliament in 1969, as a member of the Congress party.
He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, in 2019, after being given its second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008. He is survived by two sons and a daughter.
