President Pranab Mukherjee has said the country needs to invest heavily in education, research and innovation to claim its rightful place as an advanced economy in the world.

Speaking at an award function of NDTV to honour India's 25 Greatest Global Living Legends yesterday in New Delhi, the President said to reach at the goal, we must recognise the fact that without advancement of education, research and innovation, we cannot achieve the success to reach the top.

The President presented awards to 25 prominent persons including Nobel Laureates Amartya Sen and V Rama Krishnan and cricketers Sachin Tendular and Kapil Dev, film stars Amitabh Bacchan , Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikant.