Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said it would have been a "disappointing and wrong decision" on the part of the government if the Home Ministry officials had their way in not awarding the India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna to sportspersons.
The BJP's vote share in Cuttack went up from 9 per cent in 2009 to 38 per cent in 2019.
The Government of India has hiked the prize-money for its annual sporting honours, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna award. The Khel Ratna recipient will now receive Rs 750,000, Rs 250,000 more than previously awarded.
The clamour may have been for Sachin Tendulkar, but the Sports Ministry has recommended hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand for the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civillian honour.
Amid clamour for Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar, the government has modified rules to pave way for eligibility of sportspersons for the highest civilian award of the country. The new rules, providing for eligibility of persons excelling in fields other than art, literature, science and public service for Bharat Ratna, were notified on November 16, Sports Minister Ajay Maken told the media in New Delhi.
Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has joined in the Bharat Ratna debate saying her father and former India badminton star Prakash Padukone deserves the highest civilian award.
A thunderous applause greeted London Olympic heroes Vijay Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt as they jointly received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour, at a glittering ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Thursday.
Indian hockey skipper Rajpal Singh said on Monday that Major Dhyan Chand deserved to be the first sportsperson in the country to be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna.
No sportsperson has been named for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna while 15, including cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, were recommended for the Arjuna Award this year.
Robbed of some sheen due to selection controversies this year, the National Sports Awards were presented to the country's top athletes and coaches with shooter Ronjan Sodhi getting the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while cricketer Virat Kohli was among the Arjuna awardees.
'They have earned their money and their fame. They could have earned our respect by behaving in more public spirited fashion, but they have chosen instead to be unconcerned on that count,' says Aakar Patel.
Beenamol edged out ace shooter Anjali Bhagwat who was initially in the running.
Trolled over his son's name, 'Jehangir', noted Marathi actor Chinmay Mandlekar has announced he would not play the character of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as his family is being mentally harassed on social media.
'Mood is upbeat as first teams arrive in the Olympic Village,' says India's Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang
Rediff.com has compiled a list of some renowned personalities in the fray for Bharat Ratna. You decide whether they deserve the honour or not.
All family members will be happy if former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee gets the Bharat Ratna, his niece Karuna Shukla has said.
Rio Paralympcs silver medallist remains upset over being ignored for Khel Ratna this year and feels exception should have been made by the awards committee, like it had done in 2016.
Amid speculation that Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for the Bharat Ratna, a Congress leader on Sunday said Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram and Aligarh Muslim University founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan should also be given the country's highest civilian award.
The Union Home Ministry is looking into Sports Minister Ajay Maken's demand to include sports excellence as an area of recognition for the Bharat Ratna.
Amid unprecedented political lobbying for the Bharat Ratna, former India cricket captain Ajit Wadekar said master blaster Sachin Tendulkar should be given the country's highest civilian honour. 'If any one has to be given Bharat Ratna it is Sachin Tendulkar, since it is he who deserves [it] the most,' said Wadekar.
Though the contest is tough in Baramati, Sule has an edge over her rival as the locals may not break the pattern that she is meant for the Lok Sabha and Ajit Pawar for the state assembly, the political analyst felt.
Quite a few film folk turned up to cheer the girl gang of Ratna Pathak Shah, Dia Mirza, Fatima Sana Sheikh and Sanjana Sanghi, who get together for their new film, Dhak Dhak.
Sania Mirza reacted with delight at her being recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, describing it as the "most amazing" development.
Chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna a day ahead of his birth anniversary, Karpoori Thakur has been the veritable 'Jan Nayak' or people's hero of politics in Bihar, whose legacy parties cutting across ideologies seek to claim.
In an interview to Samana newspaper, Thackeray said politicians have taken the sheen out of the country's highest civilian award by recommending names of people who do not deserve it.
Eyeing a return to winning ways in their home IPL clash with the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer on Saturday said the team was working hard to avoid lapses on the field and come up with a sharper display.
Legendary track and field sprinter Milkha Singh says hockey legend Dhyan Chand deserved the Bharat Ratna honour 'before anyone else', even as he proposed that cricket great Sachin Tendulkar be made the country's sports minister.
World chess champion Viswanathan Anand on Thursday joined the growing list of top athletes supporting the demand that iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar be conferred the Bharat Ratna -- the highest civilian honour in India.
'The BJP will not win a single seat in Punjab.'
The NRAI has sent the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma for the prestigious Arjuna Award, according to federation sources.
The BCCI has recommended former India captain Rahul Dravid for the prestigious Dronacharya award and once again nominated Virat Kohli for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna honour.
Having achieved the unique distinction of scoring the first double century in One-day internationals, Sachin Tendulkar is now on the threshold of becoming the first sportsperson to be conferred the Bharat Ratna. The Maharashtra government is all set to recommend the batting maestro for India's highest civilian award.
Amidst speculation that India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna may be conferred on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a majority of his family members on Sunday disapproved of the idea and instead demanded that the mystery of his disappearance be solved first.
The 30-year-old world champion trap shooter was bestowed with the country's highest sports award.
Bajrang Punia was nominated for the Khel Ratna by the Wrestling Federation of India following his twin gold medals at this year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Jakarta Asian Games.
When Sachin Tendulkar bats, it's like an artist playing a 'raga' and the true legend of the game deserves the Bharat Ratna, legendary singer Asha Bhonsle said on Thursday.
Fifteen other top sportspersons, including woman shuttler Aparna Popat and shooter Gagan Narang were presented the Arjuna award.
Speculation is rife that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.
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