Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday firmly declined to accept the “Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025,” stating he had neither agreed to receive the honour nor attend the ceremony. Tharoor said it was “irresponsible” on the part of the organisers to announce his name without his consent.
“I heard about it yesterday only. I am not going. I am not here,” Tharoor told reporters in Delhi when asked whether he would attend the award function.
In a detailed post on X, Tharoor reiterated that “the question of attending the event or accepting the award does not arise” as he had received no clarification from the organisers about the nature of the award or the organisation behind it.
He said he came to know about his name being included when he visited Kerala on Tuesday to cast his vote in the local body polls.
Congress Leaders Oppose Acceptance of Award in Savarkar’s Name
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan publicly urged Tharoor and all Congress workers not to accept any honour named after VD Savarkar, whom he alleged “bowed before the British.”
Muraleedharan expressed confidence that Tharoor would not accept the award, saying it would otherwise “insult and embarrass” the Congress party.
Organisers Claim Tharoor Was Informed Earlier
Following Tharoor’s statement, Aji Krishnan, secretary of HRDS India, which instituted the award, contested Tharoor’s version. Speaking to a TV channel, Krishnan claimed the MP had been informed “well in advance.”
He said HRDS representatives, along with the chairman of the award jury, had met Tharoor at his residence and had shared with him the list of other recipients.
“He has not informed us that he will not come. Perhaps he is scared as the Congress has made it an issue,” Krishnan alleged.
State Govt Responds
Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev said it was entirely Tharoor’s prerogative whether to accept or decline the award.
Tharoor was selected as one of the recipients of the inaugural Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025, instituted by HRDS India and scheduled to be presented in New Delhi on Wednesday.
