Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of our country which can be awarded for the highest degrees of national service. According to the recent amendment, Bharat Ratna can now be awarded in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human endeavour. The Government of India has modified the criteria to allow sportspersons and film stars. Now Sachin’s fans are demanding Bharat Ratna for him. He has already been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, India’s second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for his achievements in Cricket. Whatever he has done on the cricket field, has no social relevance. He has been a professional cricketer. He performed on the ground and was well paid in the form of match fees and lucrative advertisements. Giving Bharat Ratna to Tendulkars and Khans who have no social relevance is making a mockery of the award and an act of degrading the prestige of the award.
I am not denying the fact that Sachin has really great records in the game of cricket, but most of them are of personal nature, they have nothing to do with the society and the nation. He has just been doing his job, nothing else. I remember one incident in which couple of years back, he sought duty exemption for the Ferrari car gifted to him and also sought tax concession for the money earned through his commercial endorsements, which were both granted, strangely. The richest cricketer seeking for such exemptions is not only an insult to the poor Indians and honest tax payers, but is also hardly an “inspiring” act expected of a deserving candidate for Bharat ratna. And last but not the least, are we ready to see Bharat Ratna awardee selling Jhandu Balm on national television?
Recently Justice Katju shared similar views. He said that giving Bharat Ratna to cricketers and film stars, who have “no social relevance”, is making a “mockery” of the award. People are talking of giving Bharat Ratna to cricketers and film stars. This is the low cultural level to which we have sunk. We ignore our real heroes, and hail superficial ones, today our country is standing at a cross road. We need persons who can give direction to the country and take it forward. It is such people who should be given Bharat Ratna, even if they are dead.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has also demanded Bharat Ratna for his father Prakash Padukone, former badminton player. She said “As a daughter, I want my father to be honoured with the title of Bharat Ratna, considering his contribution to badminton throughout his career,” I am afraid if this trend goes on then we will have to see similar demands from star daughters such as Sonam Kapoor (for Anil Kapoor), Priyanka Gandhi (for Sonia Gandhi) and so on. Giving Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar or Prakash Padukone will be great disrespect toward great Indians such has Dr Ambedkar, Aruna Asaf Ali who dedicated their entire life for upliftment of the poor and oppressed people. In my opinion, Bharat Ratna is not a yet another award. It is India’s highest civilian award. The person who receives this award must have done something that has laid a foundation for the path of development of India and her people for generations to come.
Bharat Ratna should not be given to Sachin, period.
I can only partially agree with you. I completely agree on you should not give Bharat Ratna to Sachin NOW. He still need to show what is he giving country back after he retires. When he reaches age of 60 one should consider his nomination.
It’s true that Sachin is god of cricket and a great player. But i agree with above given article.
Sachin is just a pawn in the corporate’s favorite game called Cricket. We, the people of India not only waste our precious time on this evil game
but also patronize it with our hard earned money. The fact of the matter is Sachin just plays for money. Playing cricket is his profession, his
prime source of bread and butter. He lives in a classy and very expensive villa called Tendulkars.
He never cares of millions of mumbaikars dying in slums. No doubt, he is the greatest Cricket player India has every produced or likely to
produce in the years to come but the point is whether he deserves Bharat Ratna or not. Being the greatest cricketer does not make him eligible
for India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Besides playing cricket, he runs fancy and costly restaurants where hardly any common man can enter to have food. It is for the social elite.
Such a fellow who lives a life in luxuary and royal comfort deserves no Bharat Ratna at all.
I am also agree with above article
Agreed .Wait for his eligibility.There are many more well deserved candidates are available ( I don’t know but its my believe).Thanks lot for whole AbhiSays.com commiunity.
I dont agree with this post. Without knowing the truth,we should not comment on others. Check wikipedia about sachin…
Tendulkar sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya, a Mumbai-based NGO associated with his mother-in-law, Annabel Mehta. A request from Sachin on Twitter raised 1.025 crore (US$194,750) through Sachin’s crusade against cancer for the Crusade against Cancer foundation.[25][26] Sachin Tendulkar devoted all of nine hours to the 12-hour Coca-Cola-NDTV Support My School telethon on 18 September 2011 that helped raise 7 crore – 2 crore more than the target – for from the creation of basic facilities, particularly toilets for girl students, in 140 government schools across the country.[27]
After reading this will you agree with me ? Abhi what do you say ?
Yep! I agree with what Mr. Techpathi is saying.. He sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya.. is this not a social service? is he not doing it for Indian people?
Since the time the topic was raised regarding conferring Bharat Ratna to Sachin, I have had opinion that Sachin should not be given Bharat Ratna now. More than Sachin am deeply hurt by our politician who are changing the rules of Bharat Ratna just for one player. Why was this topic not raised earlier. Our politicians are the board members of BCCI and it is very easier for them to lobby for the highest Civilian Award.
I agree with your view points to the hilt. We have many personality who has done so much for society and poor. Just because Sachin features in ads and Cricket, we must not change Bharat Ratna itself.
Though it is premature to say, but i feel Anna Hazare is far more serious candidate to be considered for the award.
P.S Notes- I like sachin as a sports star but demanding Bharat Ratna is denigrating the highest civilian award for the national and social service.
Last week, Sachin insured his banglow by paying the premium of 100 crore rupees.
What an ostentatious display of wealth!
How come, his fans claim Bharat Ratna for him?
In an emotive society like us, people can be frantically divided over the choice of Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna..
The award has long been known to be given to people who have excelled in a particular discipline and who contributed to the society immensely. It need not be a direct charity, demonstrated philanthropy or so on.. It is bestowed on an individual who has had outstanding achievement in a given field and made his countrymen proud internationally. As sports is now included as a discipline, he now stands a chance..
Tendulkar, enjoying his hard-earned wealth cannot be a taboo and can’t be held against him!
ya he is helping 200 children to study n all but remember he is doing this through charity remember when he raised funds for cancer patients by auctioning his bat he will loose nothing but its not his money …i will agree with the article though im a hardcore fan of sachin he is not suitable ..if our govt wants to give him the award MR.DYANCHAND the hockey legend should get first…3 olympic golds in a row
I agree with your points. nice read…
well, from above different-2 views on bharat ratna award first we should know what is the importance of this award.This is the Highest award of india
This award should only for those people who devoted his life for upliftment of poor people like Anna Hazare,Mahatma Gandhi, Mother teresa,J.R.D TaTa. I mean definitely Sachin is a greatest player of cricket and he has already got respective highest award in that field.
It is also true that he sponsors 200 underprivileged children every year through Apnalaya.But it is not enough to get Bharat Ratna Award.This award should be to those person only who give highest contribution to the welfare of society.If somebody has best in his field then respective award is enough for him. for example many
Famous Scientists got this award bcz they made the things which is beneficial for upliftment of society like Sir A.P.J abdul kalam who provided nuclear strenth to our society
In the last 7 years, give me one incidence he has played selflessly and got runs for the team or the country, People honoring some one with the highest civilian award in the country, requires some work, some one who can insure his house for 100 crs, wants an exception for a 3-5 Cr car from the GOVT, has any of the money gone in for any Goodwill of people or the underprivileged. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a great admirer and Fan of Sachin and his batting. Why would an Icon want to take his son to the nets and family Down under, if you are leaving there early to acclimatise to the conditions here, please give me one reason, where I stand to agree he should be given the Bharat ratna.
I guess some players like Dhyanchad, Lesly Claudius, Leander Paes, Anand, Bindra deserves Bharat Ratna more than Tendulkar. Its ok that Tendulkar holding almost all batting records, but from country’s performance point of view, the other’s contribution are more. Like our golds in Olympic for hockey, 4 time word champions in Chess, Grand Slam win, Olympic bronze in Tennis, Shooting gold in Olympic as well as plenty of world records in shooting.
Tendulkar will definitely get this one day, but he must get it after the other deserving s receive it.
He doesn’t deserves it. Ok he played for more than 20 yrs and have more hundreds and runs than anyone but how many match winning innings he played? What’s his record as a Captain? Never won world cup for India until 2011 thanks to the youngsters Dhoni & Co. We all know the bitter truth, he plays for himself not for the team.