Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday dedicated the 'Royal Order of the Polar Star', Degree Commander Grand Cross, which he received in Sweden, to the 1.4 billion people of India and to the enduring friendship between both the countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"The conferment of the award marks a milestone in the India-Sweden Strategic Partnership and reflects the shared commitment of the two countries to advancing bilateral cooperation and contributing to global peace and prosperity," the MEA noted. Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep gratitude to Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and to the people of Sweden for the global honour.
The Prime Minister noted that the conferment of the Royal Order of the Polar Star is a reaffirmation of the historic ties and civilisational bonds between India and Sweden, and a tribute to the warmth and affection that unite the people of both the countries, the MEA said.
Prime Minister Modi is the first Asian leader to be conferred the award. 'Royal Order of Polar Star' Commander Grand Cross is the utmost recognition and honour that can be conferred upon a Head of the government. The Swedish Crown Princess Victoria presented Prime Minister Modi with the Royal Order in a ceremony at the County Governor's residence, in the presence of Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.
This is the 31st global honour for PM Modi. The Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf decided to confer the 'Royal Order of the Polar' Commander Grand Cross upon Prime Minister Modi, according to the Swedish Prime Minister's office. PM Modi and his Swedish counterpart Kristersson also exchanged special gifts commemorating Rabindranath Tagore and the enduring civilisational and intellectual ties between India and Sweden, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
According to MEA, the gift from Kristersson comprised a box containing two replicas of hand-written epigrams by Rabindranath Tagore, accompanied by a small explanatory text and a photograph of Tagore taken in 1921 during his visit to Uppsala University.
The originals, recently discovered in the Swedish National Archives, were created by Gurudev Tagore during his visits to Sweden in 1921 and 1926. PM Modi presented to Kristersson a set of collected works of Rabindranath Tagore, along with a specially handcrafted bag from Shantiniketan with motifs that Tagore chose to empower local artisans.
The bag symbolises Tagore's philosophy that art is not meant to be confined to galleries, but to breathe life into everyday objects, bridging the gap between the intellectual and the functional. "These gifts symbolise the shared cultural and intellectual heritage between India and Sweden, and pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Rabindranath Tagore. The exchange of gifts also coincides with the centenary of Gurudev's historic visit to Sweden in 1926," the MEA said.