The government on Wednesday said it has received requests from various quarters to confer the Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar, adding that a proposal to confer the country's highest civilian award to sportspersons was under consideration.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's family declined the posthumous award.
Saudi Arabia's Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died on Friday and his half-brother Salman took over reigns of the world's top oil exporting nation in a smooth transition of power, calling for "unity and solidarity" among Muslims.