Instituted by Napoleon, PM Modi's 'Legion of Honour' from France is no ordinary award

French President Emmanuel Macron has bestowed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi the esteemed Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, the most esteemed civilian and military accolade in France, making him the inaugural Indian Prime Minister to receive such recognition. 

On Thursday, July 13, 2023, PM Modi was presented with the prestigious Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour at the Elysee Palace. This notable distinction aligns him with esteemed global figures, including former South African President Nelson Mandela, King Charles (then Prince of Wales), former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, among other prominent world leaders.

As PM Modi dedicated this honour to "the 140 crore people of India", the award is not like any other in the ever-growing list of distinctions an Indian leader has received. This award is soaked in history that not many other distinctions around the globe can rival.

It is with great humility that I accept the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. This is an honour for the 140 crore people of India. I thank President @Emmanuel Macron, the French Government and people for this gesture. It shows their deep affection towards India and resolve for… pic.twitter.com/Nw7V1JVgpb

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 14, 2023

The Legion of Honour in France was established by none other than revolutionary French military leader Napolean Bonaparte himself to pay tribute to civilians and soldiers in the face of French Revolution that abolished the monarchy in France and established the French First Republic. Unlike any other distinctions, it's history draws parallels to India becoming free from a colonial mindset and a monarchy.

The Legion of Honour in France is separated into five ranks

Originally known as the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour (Ordre royal de la Légion d'honneur), the National Order of the Legion of Honour holds the highest position among French orders of merit, encompassing both military and civilian accomplishments. Instituted by Bonaparte in 1802, subsequent French governments and regimes have upheld the order with occasional minor modifications.

The order is headquartered at the Palais de la Légion d'Honneur, situated adjacent to the Musée d'Orsay on the left bank of the Seine in Paris. Its motto is "Honneur et Patrie" (Honour and Fatherland).

The order is structured into five progressive ranks denoting increasing distinction with the Grand Cross being the rarest:

1. Chevalier (Knight),
2. Officier (Officer),
3. Commandeur (Commander),
4. Grand officier (Grand Officer),
5. and Grand-croix (Grand Cross).

A comprehensive roster of recipients of the Legion of Honour awards, starting from its initial ceremony in July 1804, does not exist. Each year, a maximum of 2,550 individuals are eligible to receive the insignia. The overall count of awards granted is estimated to be nearly 1 million, with approximately 900,000 awarded as of 2021. This figure encompasses over 3,000 Grand Cross recipients, while around 92,000 recipients are presently alive.

PM Modi is the third Indian and first PM to receive the Grand Cross

As PM Modi became the first Indian prime minister to receive the Grand-croix in France, he becomes the third Indian national to receive this highest distinction. Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Patiala was bestowed the honour in 1930. Following which Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Kapurthala was conferred in 1948. This makes it more than 75 years since an Indian was conferred with the grand honour.

Other Indians who have received the National Order of the Legion of Honour:

There have been numerous Indians who have been honoured through the other four ranks, The ranks of the Grand Officer was awarded to Maharaja Pratap Singh of erstwhile princely state of Idar (Gujarat) in 1918, Maharaja Hari Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Kashmir in 1938 and Sardar Hardit Malik in 1956 who was the first Indian High Commissioner to Canada, and then Indian Ambassador to France.

The rank of Commander has been bestowed on the likes of the Father of Indian Aviation JRD Tata, legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray and many others. Officer rank holders include Bollywood stalwart Amitabh Bachchan and the late Lata Mangeshkar.

Innumerable Indians have been accorded with the Knight rank of the Legion of Honour some of which include Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, Wipro founder and philanthropist Azim Premji and Durga Charan Rakshit, a writer and a businessman from the esrtwhile Bengal state was the first to receive any rank in the Order, back in 1896.

It is evident that the historical ties shared by France and India transcend military and trade deals.