Former foreign secretaryShyam Saran is to be awarded Japan's second highest national award The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star. He will be awarded in 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations for his contributions to strengthen strategic ties and enhancing mutual understanding between India and Japan.
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Shyam Saran:
Saran was India's Foreign Secretary from 2004 to 2006. He had played an important role to elevateJapan-India relationship to a strategic partnership.
During his tenure, the then Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi had visited India for the first time in 5 years.
When he was Deputy Chief of Mission of Embassy of India in Japan he contributed to strengthening mutual understanding between Japan and India includes India Festival, which was held in Japan in 1988.
Since 2017, he has been enhancing mutual understanding between two countries, such as by hosting anIndia-Japan Colloquium.
The Order of the Rising Sun
It is a Japanese government honour established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. It was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese government. It is awarded to those who have made distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, advancements in their field, development in welfare or preservation of the environment.
It consists of badge featuring rags of sunlight from the rising sun. Its design symbolizes energy as powerful as the rising sun in parallel with the "rising sun" concept of Japan (Land of the Rising Sun).
