NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister L K Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.

''One of the most respected statesmen of our times, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister,'' Modi said on X.

The prime minister said he is very happy to share that Advani (96) will be conferred the honour.

Modi spoke to the BJP's longest serving president, who is credited with crafting the party's rise through the 90s when it came to power for the first time as the head of coalition governments under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and congratulated him.

Advani's parliamentary interventions have always been exemplary and full of rich insights, Modi said.