New Delhi, March 30 : Committing to take forward the ideals of Bharat Ratna awardees, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday lauded their "invaluable contributions" towards nation-building and said that the recognition was long due.

In a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu conferred India's top civilian award on former Bihar Chief Minister Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, former Prime Ministers, P. V. Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, and agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan.

"Attended the solemn ceremony conferring Bharat Ratna on former PM Narasimha Rao ji, former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh ji, Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur ji and Dr. MS Swaminathan ji at Rashtrapati Bhavan today," EAM Jaishankar said in a post on X.

"This recognition was long due and acknowledges their invaluable contributions to our nation. We commit ourselves to take forward their ideals of nation-building," he added.

Along with the four luminaries, BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani will be presented with the award in his residence by President Murmu on Sunday.

During the ceremony, many ministers and dignitaries, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J. P. Nadda and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge were present.

/IANS