Sachin gets a bejewelled exit; solid honour for C N R Rao

Tendulkar will be first sportsperson to be bestowed with the honour

Two Indians — both global icons in their respective fields — would get India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, the government announced on Saturday. One is Sachin Tendulkar, among the world’s most elegant cricketers, for whom Saturday was his final outing as a player, and another is foremost scientist C N R Rao, a recognised international authority on solid state and materials chemistry.

In addition to the many records he holds as an athlete, Tendulkar, also a Rajya Sabha member, adds three more ‘firsts’ to his name. Not only will he be the first sportsperson but also the first sitting member of Parliament to receive the award.  Also, he will be the youngest recepient of the award,

Earlier in the day, as he bid professional cricket goodbye with a poignant retirement speech at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, many eyes welled up across the country. He thanked his family, his teacher and coach Ramakant Achrekar. “Sir would take me all across Mumbai on his scooter to play two matches and get match practice. He has never told me “well played”; maybe now he can, as there is no more cricket in my life,” Tendulkar said.

“Sachin Tendulkar is undoubtedly an outstanding cricketer — a living legend who has inspired millions across the globe. During the past 24 years and since the age of 16 years, Tendulkar has played cricket across the world and won laurels for our country. He has been a true ambassador of India in the world of sports. His achievements in cricket are unparalleled, the records set by him unmatched, and the spirit of sportsmanship displayed by him exemplary,” the government said while announcing the award.

Chintamani Nagesh Ramachanra Rao, the other recipient of the award, has published more than 1,400 research papers, 45 books and holds honorary doctorates from 60 universities. Among the recognitions he has received are over a dozen international awards, a Padma Shri and a Padma Vibhushan. He is currently the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Council. Despite all honours and accolades, Rao’s students and admirers say, he is an incredibly unassuming and down-to-earth individual. During an interview with the journal Current Science a few months ago, Rao said: “Big science has recieved undue importance in the country. In reality, the world is being pushed forward more by small science.”

Rao gave up promising research opportunities in the US to return to India at the insistence of his mother. For many years, which he believes were his formative days, he worked at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. His ultimate bad dream, he once said, was to be sitting for a physics exam after having prepared for a chemistry one.

Rao, the third scientist to be awarded the Bharat Ratna after C V Raman and (former President) A P J Abdul Kalam, is going to receive the award in a year India has launched space missions to the moon and the Mars.

• C N R Rao, Chemistry
  Bharat Ratna
  The highest recognition for other Indian scientists of global renown
• C V Raman, Physics
  Bharat Ratna
• A P J Abdul Kalam, Nuclear science
  Bharat Ratna
• Salim Ali, Ornithology
  Padma Vibhushan
• S Ramanujan, Mathematics
  No award
• Homi Bhabha, Nuclear Physics
  Padma Vibhushan
• J C Bose, Botany & Physics
  Companion of the Order of Indian Empire (1903)
• S N Bose, Physics
  Padma Vibhushan
• Har Gobind Khorana, Biochemistry
  Padma Vibhushan
• S Chandrasekhar, Astrophysics
  Padma Vibhushan
• Anil Kakodkar,  Nuclear Science
  Padma Vibhushan
• Raja Ramanna,  Nuclear Science
  Padma Vibhushan
• Vikram Sarabhai, Physics
  Padma Vibhushan
• K.Kasturirangan, Space Science
  Padma Vibhushan

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
A look at the highest awards conferred upon legends from various sports

• Sachin Tendulkar, Cricket, India
  Bharat Ratna (Highest civilian award)
• Michael Jordan, Basketball, USA
  No national awards yet
• Jesse Owens, Track & field, USA
  Presidential Medal of Freedom (Highest in order of merit)
• Pele, Football, Brazil
  National Treasure (Title given by the President)
• Carl Lewis, Track & field, USA
  No national awards yet
• Roger Federer, Tennis, Switzerland,
  State does not award order of merit
• Diego Maradona, Football, Argentina,
  No national awards yet
• Imran Khan, Cricket, Pakistan,
  Hilal-i-Imtiaz (2nd-highest in order of merit)
• Muhammad Ali, Boxing, USA,
  Presidential Medal of Freedom (Highest in order of merit)
• Dhyan Chand, Hockey, India,
  Padma Bhushan (3rd-highest in order of merit)
• Garry Kasparov, Chess, Russia,
  No national awards yet
• Donald Bradman, Cricket, Australia,
  Companion of Order of Australia (Highest in order of merit)
• Michel Platini, Football, France,
  Officier, Legion d'honneur (4th-highest in order of merit)

(In brackets: Order of merit)