Sonia Gandhi, Rahul meet Manmohan Singh, hail award by Japan

NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party Vice President Rahul Gandhi today visited former prime minister Manmohan Singh to congratulate him for being conferred with one of the highest civilian honours of Japan.

Singh was awarded 'The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers' this week for his "significant contribution to the enhancement of relations and promotion of friendship" between Japan and India for about 35 years.

The Gandhis were accompanied by Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress's leader in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh.

Sonia had earlier said that the award rightly recognises Singh's distinguished and significant contributions towards enhancement of relations and the promotion of friendship between Japan and India.

Singh is the first Indian recipient of this Order, the Japanese government had said while announcing the prestigious award, which was conferred on the former Indian prime minister by Japanese Emperor Akihito at a ceremony in Tokyo on Nov. 5.