Abhinav Bindra recommended for Bharat Ratna
December 19th, 2011 - 8:29 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS) India’s only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was Monday recommended for the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award, by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
NRAI recommended the 10-metre air rifle Olympic champion three days after sports minister Ajay Maken announced that sportspersons would now be eligible for the country’s highest civilian award.
“The NRAI has sent a recommendation letter to sports minister Ajay Maken requesting him to consider Bindra for the nation’s highest honour. Bindra is one of the top contenders for the award and it will be a big boost for shooting in India,” NRAI secretary-general Baljeet Sethi told IANS.
Bindra, who is currently training in Germany, said it was a big honour to be recommended for the Bharat Ratna.
Maken had said last week that besides hockey legend Dhyan Chand and cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar, there are several deserving sportspersons who are eligible for the Bharat Ratna as well.
The sports ministry in a letter April 15 requested the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Home Ministry to modify the eligibility criteria for sportspersons for Bharat Ratna.
The award earlier was given to individuals for excelling in fields of art, literature, science and public service but now after the modifications it could be conferred for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavour.
Bharat Ratna was instituted in 1954 and has been conferred upon 41 individuals so far.
- Abhinav Bindra recommended for Bharat Ratna (Lead) - Dec 19, 2011
- Government paves way for Bharat Ratna in sports - Dec 16, 2011
- Hockey legend Dhyan Chand recommended for Bharat Ratna - Dec 21, 2011
- Sports ministry wants inclusion of sports for Bharat Ratna - Apr 15, 2011
- No Bharat Ratna, just six Padma Shris for sportspersons - Jan 25, 2012
- Madhya Pradesh to set up museum after Dhyan Chand - Jan 24, 2012
- Include sports category for Bharat Ratna: Maken - Jul 11, 2011
- No Bharat Ratna in sports, just eight Padma Shris (Roundup) - Jan 25, 2012
- Home ministry backs Bharat Ratna for sportspersons - Jul 23, 2011
- Anand deserves Bharat Ratna but final call PM's: Maken - May 31, 2012
- Cash award to Bindra for Asian shooting gold - Jan 18, 2012
- Maken requests defence ministry for out-of-turn promotion for Vijay - Aug 08, 2012
- Indian chess body to recommend Anand for Bharat Ratna - Jan 03, 2012
- Bharat Ratna for Sachin, recommends Maharashtra assembly - Apr 05, 2011
- CWG silver lining: Increased funding for Indian sport (Year after CWG) - Sep 29, 2011
Tags: air rifle, ajay maken, art literature, bharat ratna, chand, gold medallist, highest honour, hockey legend, home ministry, human endeavour, literature science, national rifle association, nrai, olympic champion, olympic gold, pmo, recommendation letter, sachin tendulkar, sethi, sports ministry