Insulting Sportsmen

The UPA Govt, at the last minute, struck off Chand’s name and replaced him with Tendulkar’s for the Bharat Ratna award

Dhyan Chand, born in 1905, was arguably the greatest hockey player of all time. Called ‘The Wizard’, he was a virtuoso who won several Olympic gold medals for India in the first part of the last century. Impressed by his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Adolf Hitler offered him German citizenship.

Sachin Tendulkar, 68 years younger, is considered one of the greatest batsmen. Called the ‘God of Cricket’, he is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries, the first batsman to score a double century in ODIs and the only player to have scored more than 30,000 runs in international cricket.

It is therefore dispiriting to know that the UPA Government, at the last minute, struck off Chand’s name and replaced him with Tendulkar’s for the Bharat Ratna award. The unkind change of plan lacked in wisdom, humiliating both sportsmen. A lot more transparency in awarding the greatest civilian award is in order.

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