Sachin Bharat Ratna? No hurry, debate on
A debate is raging within the Union government on whether to confer the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian honour, on India’s cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar.
While political parties like the Shiv Sena and the BJP and even Maharashtra’s Congress chief minister, Prithviraj Chavan, have publicly urged the Centre to confer the award on Tendulkar, sources said the government “is not likely to act in a hurry”.
The sources said while “there is no doubt that Sachin, being a national icon, deserves the Bharat Ratna”, they also noted he was still an active player and it was the norm to consider such an award for someone at the end of their career.
Also, while they noted a person’s “age cannot be a factor” in determining eligibility for the Bharat Ratna, the fact that Tendulkar is just 37 years old is at the back of the government’s mind. As one source noted, at times “there are instances of how icons do fall, so the government has to exercise caution in giving the highest civilian award to any indidvidual.” At the same time, it was clarified that the government was well aware of the many demands for such an award and was considering it. Also, so far, no sportsperson has yet been awarded the Bharat Ratna, and giving it to Tendulkar at this stage “would set a precedent”, a top official said.
In Maharashtra, chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday recommended to the Centre that Tendulkar be conferred the Bharat Ratna. A motion congratulating the Indian team and proposing award of the Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar was moved by Mr Chavan in the state Assembly and supported by all parties. The BJP and the Shiv Sena had also earlier advised the government to award the Bharat Ratna to the crick-
eter. Some other politicians and public figures suggest this might be premature. When asked, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar chose to be evasive on the issue.
The sources noted that the Centre would take note of all views before taking a decision. While there is vociferous support in some quarters for this move, there are other intellectuals and social activists who feel “it is too early”. Cricket writer and historian Ramchandra Guha and sociologist Ashish Nandy have voiced objections. Nandy feels a “Bharat Ratna for Sachin will further politicise Indian sports, and turn sportsmen towards sycophancy”, while Guha felt such an award “should be delayed much after his retirement, for a better chance to assess his career and character”. Others batting for a Tendulkar award include the legendary Lata Mangeshkar, former cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Olympian Milkha Singh and filmmaker Shyam Benegal.
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