The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to honour actor Abhishek Bachchan with Yash Bharati Samman, the state's highest award, on November 20.
Abhishek's grandfather and litterateur Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Amitabh and his wife and MP Jaya Bachchan have already been conferred the award in the past.
UP Culture Minister Rajendra Singh Rana says the award, which comprises Rs 5 lakh and a citation, said the award is being given to Abhishek to "encourage" him.
Cricketer Mohammad Kaif's name also figures in the list of 11 persons who will be honoured with the award along with Abhishek.
Asked the basis on which the actor has been chosen for the honour, Rana said, "He is a renowned film star. His grandfather was from Allahabad. His grandmother Teji Bachhan belongs to UP. His father is from our state. Abhishek is doing well and we want to encourage him."
The minister added that it was the discretion of UP CM to choose a person for the award.
Rules, however, say that the award can only be given to those who were born in UP or have lived in the state for a considerable period or have done something mentionable for the state.
In February this year, the same award was given to veteran journalist and former MP Kuldip Nayar. The same was justified on the grounds that he had worked with former Union home minister G B Pant and former PM Lal Bahadur Shashtri, both of whom belonged to UP.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
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