Noted educationist and freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malviya was on Monday posthumously conferred Bharat Ratna, country’s highest civilian award, by President Pranab Mukherjee.

A host of other other personalities, including veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani and Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Parkash Singh Badal, were honoured with Padma awards by Mr. Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

Members of Malviya’s family received the award from Mr. Mukherjee at the historic Durbar Hall with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President Hamid Ansari, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other senior Cabinet members in attendance.

The prominent personalities who were awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award, included Mr. Advani and Mr. Badal, while Padma Bhushan was awarded to lawyer Harish Salve and journalists Swapan Dasgupta and Rajat Sharma.

Amongst the prominent Padma Shri awardees were film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, writer-lyricist Prasoon Joshi, physician Dr Randeep Guleria, creator of popular cartoon character ‘Chacha Chaudhary’ Pran Kumar Sharma (posthumous), shuttler P.V. Sindhu, Hockey star Sardar Singh and amputee Everest climber Arunima Sinha.

Last week, the President awarded Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the latter's house in Delhi.

Malviya was behind the establishment of the Banaras Hindu University.

Born on December 25, 1861, he was catapulted into the political arena immediately after his first moving speech at the second Congress session held in Kolkata in 1886. He was President of the Indian National Congress in 1909 and 1918.

Malviya is also remembered for his stellar role in the Independence movement and his espousal of Hindu nationalism.