The hockey legend Dhyan Chand have been decided to be brought into prominence along with Sachin Tendulkar for the Bharat Ratna. The decision has been confirmed by the Union sports ministry. According to a statement mentioned by Times of India, the names of Chand along with Tendulkar were into discussion in a meeting on Wednesday in precedence of the hockey legend who made India a supreme power in the sport and guided in direction India to unparalleled success and recognition at the Olympics came into existence as the ministry’s choice. Now, in actuality if the president think favourably of Chand would befit in appearance as the first sportsman to gain victory with award, which is generally awarded to social workers, musicians, litterateurs and politicians.
Furthermore, the ministry listened to supporters of both sportsmen but decided on Dhyan Chand based on the fact that an active sportsperson always stood a chance of earning the country’s highest honour in the future. According to the Times of India report, “Sports minister Jitendra Singh was also impressed by a delegation led by Dhyan Chand’s son Ashok Kumar, which met him on July 12 and debated in his favour. Former Indian cricket captain Bishan Singh Bedi was part of the delegation. Ashok Kumar told TOI that the minister said he supported their views at the same time said he would personally hand over the letter recommending his father’s name for the Bharat Ratna to the Prime Minister. Dhyan Chand won three gold medals at the Olympics – in 1928 ( Amsterdam), 1932 ( Los Angeles) and 1936 ( Berlin) and expired during 1979.
The recommendation, which will be studied accompanied by scores of others, will need the seal of formal permission from the PM and President Pranab Mukherjee for Dhyan Chand to get the award posthumously. Ashok Kumar known to have expressed that he is happy that his name has been recommended. Dhyan Chandji was always a simple man who experienced exhausting labour for hockey without any expectation otherwise any rewards in return. There would be no doubt with the fact that the Bharat Ratna would be a big honour for him as well as the game. In December 2011, the government had rejected a collective request of 82 MPs who had backed Dhyan Chand for the award. In January 2012, the ministry had forwarded the names of Dhyan Chand, shooter Abhinav Bindra as well as mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the award.
(AW:Samrat Biswas)
