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https://www.hindustantimes.com/columns/ ... 0NFDN.htmlThe Bhushan category was illustrious as well, including the first musician to get any of the Padma awards, MS Subbulakshmi. She was to get the Vibhushan and then the Bharat Ratna itself.
I recall, as his secretary at the time, President KR Narayanan responding to a widespread sentiment for the highest decoration moving beyond statesmen and public figures to the arts.
MS’ name suggested itself for the first Bharat Ratna going to a musician. President Narayanan and Prime Minister Gujral settled on it after a discussion that lasted no more than five minutes.
The president then asked to be connected to MS over the phone to obtain her consent which took a few moments longer than it might have had that most tuneful of all Indians not been so un-attuned to affairs, including recognitions, of the State.
After having spoken to and congratulated MS, President Narayanan spoke to the chief minister “as a step in courtesy”, to inform him of the honour being done to a daughter of Tamil Nadu.
The chief minister was, not surprisingly, thrilled and, I gathered, rang MS directly thereafter to felicitate her, leaving the Nightingale of India even more perplexed by the sudden shower of attention on her. The nation was thrilled.
Ramachandra Guha, who had earlier written in one of his columns about MS being most deserving of a Bharat Ratna, has described an obscure Hindi newspaper in Madhya Pradesh celebrating the award to the modern Mirabai.
The investiture itself was a resplendent affair. Dressed in a green Conjeevaram, MS received the decoration from President Narayanan with humility but the confidence of true greatness. There was something in her demeanour which seemed to say ‘I am receiving this on behalf of Carnatic music’.
(Gopalkrishna Gandhi is a former administrator, diplomat and governor)