Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan awarded top French honour

Oct 12, 2006, 15:21 GMT

New Delhi - The French government has announced that it is conferring its highest civilian honour, the Legion d'Honneur on Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan, media reports said Thursday.

French President Jacques Chirac in a decree, bestowed the honour on Bachchan as a tribute to his 'exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond,' the Times of India newspaper reported.

The French embassy in India, which made the announcement on Wednesday, the 64th birthday of the film-star, said the award was also in recognition of his efforts to bring together Indian and international cultures.

'According to protocol, Dominique Gerard, the French ambassador to India will speak to Amitabh Bachchan and seek a date from him for the official ceremony during which he will be given the honour personally,' Mohamed Bendjebbour, a French diplomat told the daily.

Created to reward eminent military and civil merits in the service of France, Legion d'Honneur is the highest distinction that can be conferred to a French citizen or foreigner.

Among the eminent Indian personalities to have received the honour are film-maker Satyajit Ray in 1987 and environmentalist RK Pachauri in July this year.

Bachchan, a national icon in India, is well known in many countries around the world. BBC Online voted him 'Star of the millenium' above Hollywood greats like Sir Lawrence Olivier and Charlie Chaplin.

Bachchan, popularly known as Big B, has dominated Indian cinema since he quit his job as a freight broker in Calcutta and joined Bollywood more than three decades ago.