DHAKA: Indian government on Wednesday announced the prestigious Bharat Ratna, neighboring country's highest civilian honour, for their former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and a freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malaviya.

A meeting of the Union Cabinet was convened in New Delhi on Wednesday where the decision to confer the honour on Vajpayee and Malviya was taken, reports The Times Of India in the afternoon.

The report said that the announcement coincides with Vajpayee's birthday on December 25 which the government has already declared as the 'Good Governance Day'.

A Bharat Ratna for Madan Mohan Malaviya, Indian freedom fighter and educationist popularly known as 'Mahamana', was one of the promises made by the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his election campaigns.

"The President (Indian) has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya (posthumously) and to Atal Bihari Vajpayee," a press communique from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

However, 43 people have been honoured with the Bharat Ratna since its inception, including scientist CV Raman, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, singer Lata Mangeshkar and politicians C Rajagopalachari.

BDST: 1635 HRS, Dec 24, 2014