Centre approves Pranab Mukherjee memorial at Rajghat's Rashtriya Smriti complex
The Centre has approved the construction of a memorial dedicated to former President Bharat Ratna Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtriya Smriti complex within Delhi's Rajghat. The memorial will be built at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, a designated area reserved for commemorating former Presidents, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers. Mukherjee served as India's 13th President from 2012 to 2017, and the decision comes nearly six years after his death in August 2020. It follows the government's earlier move in January 2025 to reserve land for the memorial. A veteran parliamentarian and senior Congress leader, Mukherjee held the Finance, Defence and External Affairs portfolios and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019. The proposal had earlier been reviewed by the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC).
Key Facts & Details
9 points- 1The Centre approved a memorial for former President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtriya Smriti complex, Rajghat.
- 2The memorial will be built at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, reserved for former Presidents, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers.
- 3Pranab Mukherjee served as India's 13th President from 2012 to 2017.
- 4He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, in 2019.
- 5The land for the memorial was first reserved by the government in January 2025.
- 6The proposal was reviewed by the Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC), which sought design modifications.
Deep Dive
- +Mukherjee, a veteran parliamentarian and senior Congress leader, held key portfolios including Finance, Defence and External Affairs during decades in government.
- +The decision came nearly six years after his death in August 2020.
- +His daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee had publicly thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting the family had not requested the honour.
Exam Focus
Examiners may ask which President the memorial honours, the site (Rashtriya Smriti Sthal/Rajghat), Mukherjee's presidential tenure, or the year he received the Bharat Ratna.
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
National memorials and honours for constitutional figures are frequent polity and national-affairs GA items. Aspirants should note that Pranab Mukherjee was India's 13th President (2012-2017), received the Bharat Ratna in 2019, and that his memorial sits at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in Rajghat, all commonly tested details.
Target Exams
Background & Context
The Rashtriya Smriti Sthal is a designated area within Delhi's Rajghat complex reserved for building memorials to former Presidents, Vice Presidents and Prime Ministers, consolidating national commemoration at a single precinct. Pranab Mukherjee was one of India's most experienced statesmen, serving as Union Finance Minister before becoming the country's 13th President. The Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) is a statutory body that reviews the design of major projects in the capital to preserve architectural and aesthetic character. The Bharat Ratna, instituted in 1954, is India's highest civilian award.
Test Yourself
1 / 3For which former President has the Centre approved a memorial at the Rashtriya Smriti complex, Rajghat?
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