President Droupadi Murmu becomes Indian to be conferred with Suriname's highest civilian award

Murmu received the award from the President of the Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

Suriname on Monday conferred its highest civilian honour to President Droupadi Murmu- The Grand Order of the Chain of Yellow Star, the first Indian to receive this award.

President Droupadi Murmu being presented special covers of stamps to mark 150 years of arrival of Indians in Suriname by President of Suriname Chan Santokhi, in Suriname, Monday.(PTI)

Murmu received the award from the President of the Republic of Suriname, Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

Murmu after receiving the award, said that the honour holds tremendous significance not only for her but the people of India.

"I am greatly honoured to receive Suriname's highest distinction, "Grand Order of the Chain of the Yellow Star." This recognition holds tremendous significance, not only for me but also for the 1.4 billion people of India whom I represent," the President of India said in a tweet.

She dedicated the award to the "successive generations" of the Indian-Surinamese community.

"I also dedicate this honor to the successive generations of the Indian-Surinamese community, who have played a stellar role in enriching the fraternal ties between our two countries," she further said.

On the first leg of her state visit to Serbia and Suriname, President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Paramaribo, Suriname on June 4.

She was welcomed at the Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport with full state honours by Suriname's President Chandrikapersad Santokhi, the official release of Rashtrapati Bhavan read.

Earlier today, President Murmu commenced her engagements with the visit to the Presidential Palace in Paramaribo to meet her counterpart, President Santokhi.

She received a warm welcome from her counterpart Santokhi at the Presidential palace in Paramaribo.

The President appreciated President Santokhi's warmth and hospitality throughout the meetings. She was delighted to learn that Hindi is widely spoken in Suriname, which makes her remind of India.

India and Suriname on Monday signed four major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of health, agriculture and capacity building.

The pacts were inked after Murmu and Santokhi held delegation-level talks. President Murmu led delegation-level talks between the two sides.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that she was happy to be in Suriname on her first State Visit as President of India when it is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Suriname, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in an official release.