He further said that he learned from media reports that he was named as a recipient of the award when he went to Kerala to vote in the local body polls on Tuesday.

He said he had clarified then that he was neither aware of, nor had accepted, such an award.

“Despite that, today in Delhi, some media outlets continue to ask the same question. Therefore, I am issuing this statement to clarify the matter unequivocally,” Tharoor added.

Following Tharoor’s statement, Aji Krishnan, the secretary of the Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS) India which is presenting the award, told a TV channel that the Congress MP was informed about the matter well in advance.

He said that representatives of HRDS India and the chairman of the award jury had met Tharoor at his residence to invite him and the MP had asked for a list of the other recipients of the award.

“We gave him the list. He has not yet informed us that he will not come for the event. Perhaps he is scared as the Congress has made it an issue,” Krishnan claimed.

Kerala Law Minister P Rajeev said it was Tharoor’s decision whether to accept the award or not.

Tharoor was chosen as one of the recipients of the inaugural Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025, instituted by HRDS India, on Wednesday in New Delhi.

On Tuesday, he had said that he heard about the award through the media and that he was not aware who was giving it.

“I am not aware of anything related to the award. Let me find out what it is,” he had said.