Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand or batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar After years of debate, the sports ministry on Friday recommended the former’s name for country’s highest civilian honour — the Bharat Ratna. If approved, this will be the first time that a sportsperson will be awarded the honour. “The letter recommending the Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand has already been sent to the Prime Minister,” said sports secretary P.K. Deb, The ministry’s recommendation, sent to PM Manmohan Singh, will be scrutinised before it goes for approval of President Pranab Mukherjee.
‘Honour for family’ “Irrespective of whether the award is given or not, it is an honour for our family that his name has been recommended by the sports minister for Bharat Ratna. It will be an honour for him and the game itself,” said Dhyan Chand’s son Ashok Kumar, also member of the 1975 hockey World Cup winning squad. A six-member delegation, led by Ashok Kumar, had met sports minister Jitendra Singh here on July 12. Former India cricket captain Bishan Singh Bedi and Dhyan Chand’s grandson Gaurav Singh were also present. “The minister assured us that he would try his best to get Dhyan Chand’s name considered for the honour. Since no other name has been recommended, there is no conflict. We are hopeful he will get Bharat Ratna this year posthumously,” he said. Former India captain Dhyan Chand, also known as the stick magician, won three gold medals at the Olympics — 1928 in Amsterdam, 1932 in Los Angeles and 1936 in Berlin. He passed away in 1979. In 2011, the government had ignored the plea of 82 members of Parliament, who had recommended Dhyan Chand’s name for the Bharat Ratna but in January 2012, the ministry itself forwarded his name along with Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the award.
