Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, playing his final match, may get a fitting farewell gift on Republic Day with the Centre considering him for the country’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.
ET has learnt that PM Manmohan Singh may recommend his name for the Bharat Ratna to President Pranab Mukherjee.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajeev Shukla and Maharashtra CM Prithivraj Chavan are among those backing the move, said a senior official.
Tendulkar is “most deserving” of the Ratna, said Shukla, also V-P of the BCCI.
“I will try my level best to get Tendulkar the honour,” he said.
“He is retiring from cricket after making records that will not be broken for the next 100 years and has earned reputation and respect worldwide.”
Many recommendations backing Tendulkar have been submitted to the MHA and the PMO, an official confirmed.
“I cannot say anything on this. The final decision is of the President,” said V Narayanasamy, MoS in the PMO.
No formal recommendations are necessary for the Ratna, with the PM forwarding names to the President.
No person was recommended for the Ratna in 2011 or 2012 by the PM although the PMO received 64 petitions pitching for Tendulkar ahead of R-Day in 2011 and 20 nominations the subsequent year.
The rules were changed in 2010 to allow the Ratna to be given in recognition of an exceptional service or performance of highest order in “any field”.
On Thursday, President called him a “great ambassador of the game and of India”.
Source: Economic Times
