Shashi Tharoor receives France's highest civilian honour

New Delhi: Author and Congress lawmaker, Shashi Tharoor has been named the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (the Legion of Honour) appreciating his writings and speeches, reports say.

Tharoor responded to profuse outpour of congregations on social media, taking himself to twitter saying "I am honoured to be recognised this way".

He also expressed gratitude and appreciation to "those who have seen fit to award" him this distinction, reports say.

Tharoor was previously awarded similar international honour by the Spanish government with the King Spain bestowing upon him the Encomienda de la Real Order Espanola de Carlos III in 2010, according to India Today.

The former diplomat with a 23-year-long career in the United Nations authored several fiction and non-fiction books.

Shashi Tharoor is representing the Thiruvananthapuram constituency for the second time and is Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs.

The Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte to honour excellent civil or military conduct.

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