Finance
During his first official visit to Nigeria on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was bestowed with the national title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu honored Prime Minister Modi at a bilateral meeting in Abuja’s Aso Rock Villa, which serves as the Nigerian Presidency’s office and residence.
“Nigeria values its excellent relationship with India, and we work to deepen and broaden the same to the mutual benefit of our two friendly countries. You represent a very strong commitment in democratic values and norms. You have been doing a good job historically, winning three consecutive elections in a complex society is a feat that we respect so much,” said Tinubu.
“I will confer on you today, the Prime Minister of India, Nigeria’s National Honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger. This to signify Nigerian appreciation and commitment to India as a partner,” he added.
Notably, the only foreign dignitary to have previously received the award was Queen Elizabeth in 1969.
Earlier this week, Dominica had announced its highest national honour, the ‘Dominica Award of Honour,’ for PM Modi in acknowledgement of his pivotal support during the Covid-19 pandemic and his commitment to fostering India-Dominica relations.
Dominica’s President Sylvanie Burton is scheduled to present the award during the India-CARICOM Summit in Guyana, which Prime Minister Modi will attend personally in the next week after winding up his engagements at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
This would bring PM Modi’s civilian accolades total to a record 17, highlighting his leadership and India’s growing global reputation.
It also reflects India’s stronger diplomatic contacts and growing influence.
PM Modi has been conferred highest civilian honours in Saudi Arabia (King Abdulaziz Sash, 2016), Afghanistan (State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan, 2016), Palestine (Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award, 2018), UAE (Order of Zayed Award, 2019), Russia (Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, 2019 – received by PM Modi in July 2024), Maldives (Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin, 2019), Bahrain (King Hamad Order of the Renaissance, 2019), US (Legion of Merit by the US Armed Forces in 2020), Bhutan (Order of the Druk Gyalpo, 2021) Papua New Guinea (Ebakl Award, 2023), Fiji (Companion of the Order of Fiji, 2023), Papua New Guinea (Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu, 2023), Egypt (Order of Nile, 2023), France (Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, 2023), Greece (Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, 2023).
In addition to these greatest civilian distinctions, PM Modi has received other significant prizes from well-known international groups.
The Seoul Peace Prize Cultural Foundation honored him with the Seoul Peace Prize in 2018 for his contributions to worldwide harmony and peace.
In the same year, PM Modi received the United Nations’ highest environmental honor, the Champions of the Earth Award, for his courageous environmental leadership.
PM Modi got the inaugural Philip Kotler Presidential Award in 2019, which is given yearly to leaders who display excellent national leadership.
In 2019, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave PM Modi the Global Goalkeeper Award in appreciation of his efforts to turn India’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan into a mass cleanliness movement.
In 2021, PM Modi received the Global Energy and Environment Leadership Award from Cambridge Energy Research Associates (CERA), in recognition of his leadership on global energy and environmental sustainability.
Source: IANS
