New Delhi, January 25: Sachin Tendulkar’s name has not been recommended for the Bharat Ratna award. Sources have said that the BCCI did not send any names, not even Sachin’s. They say that the Sports Ministry has recommended the names of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the India’s highest civilian honour.
The criteria for Bharat Ratna was recently broadened to include sports because of the huge demand. Infact, many politicians in Maharashtra have been pushing for a Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar, prompting Sports Minister Ajay Maken to write to the PMO. And the Home Ministry eventually giving its approval to include sports.
Sources have told that the BCCI did not send any names. Till last month, the criteria for the award was restricted to literature, art and science. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was the last recipient of the honour in 2008.
——Agencies