The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the Y.B. Chavan Pratishthan Award to Shri Shreedharan, the architect of Konkan Railway and Delhi Metro at the concluding ceremony of the Birth Centenary Celebrations of Late Shri Yashwantrao Chavan today (March 23, 2013) at Mumbai.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he would like to express his deep gratitude to the Maharashtra Government for giving him an opportunity to pay respectful homage to a great son of India. He stated that many a trial and tribulation visited Late Shri Chavan and the country during the time of his leadership. He surmounted them by the sheer strength of his character and values.

In his speech, the President quoted Mahatma Gandhi who once said "I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people”. He said that he had the privilege of working in close cooperation with Late Shri Y.B. Chavan and Shri Chavan’s style of functioning epitomized this pragmatism. Consensus building was the hallmark of his leadership, he added. On the occasion, he also paid homage to the three brave revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev who were hanged on 23rd March, 1931.

The President released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on the occasion. He also received the first copy of Talk Book ‘Krishnakath’ –Autobiography of Y.B. Chavan and a copy of book ‘Flow of Life – Yashwantrao Chavan’.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Governor of Maharashtra, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Union Minister of Home Affairs, Union Minister of Agriculture and Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.