Wastemen etc

[miscer]

You want a medal?

no but that reminds me, they should really give him the bharat ratna at this point. not doing it would basically say, "you can't get it for sports." which isn't right imo.

 

[Borges]

no but that reminds me, they should really give him the bharat ratna at this point. not doing it would basically say, "you can't get it for sports." which isn't right imo.

As it stands right now, "you can't get it for sports". Bharat Ratna is for exceptional contribution in the fields of art, literature, science and social service.

For Tendulkar to receive a Bharat Ratna, first, they have to amend the rules for the award. If that is done, excellence is sports is added as a qualifying criterion, the question would arise why it shouldn't be given first to Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera or Viswanathan Anand?

This question would also arise in the minds of many: does someone who has said no to T20 for India, no to represent India in several ODI series, to preserve himself for a lucrative commercial T20 tournament deserve the highest civilian national order? As a very successful professional, Tendulkar has every right to maximize his earnings; but is that what the Bharat Ratna is all about?

 

[Bun]

As it stands right now, "you can't get it for sports". Bharat Ratna is for exceptional contribution in the fields of art, literature, science and social service.

For Tendulkar to receive a Bharat Ratna, first, they have to amend the rules for the award. If that is done, excellence is sports is added as a qualifying criterion, the question would arise why it shouldn't be given first to Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera or Viswanathan Anand?

This question would also arise in the minds of many: does someone who has said no to T20 for India, no to represent India in several ODI series, to preserve himself for a lucrative commercial T20 tournament deserve the highest civilian national order? As a very successful professional, Tendulkar has every right to maximize his earnings; but is that what the Bharat Ratna is all about?

Pls gimme a break.

Micheal Ferreira?

Dhyanchand to some extent I agree, but back then Hockey wasn't anywhere near what it is now.

Vishy Anand also is a commendable recommendation. But then, what is the % of people who opt for chess as a career choice as compared to cricket?

 

[Borges]

Pls gimme a break.

Micheal Ferreira?

Yes, Micheal Ferreira. The first Indian to be a World Champion in any sport.

Agreed, billiards is not the most popular sport in the world; played in merely just about the same number of countries as cricket.

 

[vcs]

As it stands right now, "you can't get it for sports". Bharat Ratna is for exceptional contribution in the fields of art, literature, science and social service.

For Tendulkar to receive a Bharat Ratna, first, they have to amend the rules for the award. If that is done, excellence is sports is added as a qualifying criterion, the question would arise why it shouldn't be given first to Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera or Viswanathan Anand?

This question would also arise in the minds of many: does someone who has said no to T20 for India, no to represent India in several ODI series, to preserve himself for a lucrative commercial T20 tournament deserve the highest civilian national order? As a very successful professional, Tendulkar has every right to maximize his earnings; but is that what the Bharat Ratna is all about?

Agree with that. Opens up a can of worms.

 

[Cevno]

Yes, Micheal Ferreira. The first Indian to be a World Champion in any sport.

Agreed, billiards is not the most popular sport in the world; played in merely just about the same number of countries as cricket.

That is not true actually.

He was not even the first Indian to win the World Billiards Amateur Championship. Wilson Jones was in 1958.

And i think there were World Champions in other sports too before that.
Besides Billiards is not near as popular as Cricket nor ever will be ,no matter how many countries play it.

Might as well start giving it for Sepak Takraw and Hot dog eating too since it is done in more countries,by that logic.

 

[vcs]

I couldn't believe they actually have a hot dog eating contest. Apparently they do.

 

[Cevno]

Agree with that. Opens up a can of worms.

But it has to start somewhere.

You cannot keep sports out forever,because it opens up a can of worms.

There is going to be a can of worm no matter who gets it in whatever field.

For example why Did the likes of Gopinath Bordoloi Get the award Posthumously and not Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekha Azad or Lala Lajpat Rai?
Even Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Nelson Mandela have one for contributions to other countries.

Why did Bismillah khan,Ravi Shankar ,Bhimsen Joshi get a award and not Kishore Kumar,Hariprasad Chaurasia,Ar.Rahman even Actors/Producers like Amitabh Bachan and Dev Anand?

Why does Amartya Sen have a award and not Rabindernath Tagore for their Nobel Prizes?

The fact remains that the likes of MGR,V.V GIRI ETC... also got the award who really did nothing too meaningful in terms of contribution to politics.

 

[Bun]

But it has to start somewhere.

You cannot keep sports out forever,because it opens up a can of worms.

There is going to be a can of worm no matter who gets it in whatever field.

For example why Did the likes of Gopinath Bordoloi Get the award Posthumously and not Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekha Azad or Lal bahadur Shastri?

Why did Bismillah khan,Ravi Shankar ,Bhimsen Joshi get a award and not Kishore Kumar,Hariprasad Chaurasia,Ar.Rahman even Actors/Producers like Amitabh Bachan and Dev Anand?

Why does Amartya Sen have a award and not Rabindernath Tagore for their Nobel Prizes?

The fact remains that the likes of MGR,V.V GIRI ETC... also got the award who really did nothing too meaningful in terms of contribution to politics.

Very good post.

 

[Cevno]

As it stands right now, "you can't get it for sports". Bharat Ratna is for exceptional contribution in the fields of art, literature, science and social service.

For Tendulkar to receive a Bharat Ratna, first, they have to amend the rules for the award. If that is done, excellence is sports is added as a qualifying criterion, the question would arise why it shouldn't be given first to Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera or Viswanathan Anand?

This question would also arise in the minds of many: does someone who has said no to T20 for India, no to represent India in several ODI series, to preserve himself for a lucrative commercial T20 tournament deserve the highest civilian national order? As a very successful professional, Tendulkar has every right to maximize his earnings; but is that what the Bharat Ratna is all about?

Mike Ferreira really has not much case at all to Get it. Even Abhinav Bindra has a much better case than him.And so do Leander Paes and Bhupati.

Vishwanathan Anand is a good case too but again the sport is not as popular plus he does not live in the country.


DhyanChand is the biggest case to be awarded the Bharat Ratna in sports and has a equal if not bigger case than Sachin to get it first.
But in any case both can get it together and if Sachin's Popularity forces the government to include sports ,then Dhyan Chand will get it sooner or later Posthumously.

As for the last paragraph it is a real **** reason to not give a award. Can't expect anyone to humanly play every match for 21 years.
Besides even in the IPL it could be said he is representing his region and more or equal people have got the Bharat Ratna doing something for a particular region rather than the whole country.

 

[Blaze 18]

I am one of Tendulkar's biggest fans, but there's no reason why he should get a Bharat Ratna over Vishy Anand, Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Kumar or Leander Paes (just to name a few). Not saying he doesn't deserve it, mind you. Just that there are a number of other candidates who are equally, if not more, deserving of the honour. In any case, does it really make a difference if he gets it or not? I mean, are we going to respect him any less if he doesn't get it?

 

[Shri]

I couldn't believe they actually have a hot dog eating contest. Apparently they do.

Fairly confident you can be a World Champion in a hotdog eating competition.

 

[indiaholic]

I am one of Tendulkar's biggest fans, but there's no reason why he should get a Bharat Ratna over Vishy Anand, Abhinav Bindra, Vijender Kumar or Leander Paes (just to name a few). Not saying he doesn't deserve it, mind you. Just that there are a number of other candidates who are equally, if not more, deserving of the honour. In any case, does it really make a difference if he gets it or not? I mean, are we going to respect him any less if he doesn't get it?

Vishy definitely. The only reason people aren't campaigning for him is because of chess' low popularity. But am not too sure about Abhinav and Vijender.. How good have they been over their careers? Maybe Paes too, but then why not Bhupathi?

 

[Cevno]

Plus Vishwanathan Anand lives in spain for 3/4 years now and is going to apply for residency there apparently.

There was a problem recently in giving him a doctorate too.

Bindra has a case being the first individual olympic gold medalist ever but has been inconsistent and has had a short career only.
Vijender hasn't really done anything which a Indian has not done so far and has a short career so far too. No way does he deserve a Bharat Ratna at this stage ahead of many others.
Paes and Bhupati have a case ,but Sachin is a bigger case for the simple icon value he brings to the country and the popularity he has ,and the way he has handled it for 21 + years.
Plus Tennis is not exactly a distinct represent your country sport ,though Paes unlike Bhupati has given his all for India over the years in the Davis Cup even when Bhupati chose to miss and has a olympic Bronze too.

 

[Borges]

That is not true actually.

He was not even the first Indian to win the World Billiards Amateur Championship. Wilson Jones was in 1958.

Ferriera won the World Billiards Open Championship. There is a wide and substantial difference, a world of difference really, between being the World Billiards Amateur Champion and being the World Billiards Open Champion. One is the champion among amateurs of the world, the other is the Champion of the World.

And i think there were World Champions in other sports too before that.

Care to name even one of them? Even if it be in Sepak Takraw or Hot dog eating?

There is going to be a can of worm no matter who gets it in whatever field.

Not necessarily. There were no can of worms, except perhaps to the extremely bigoted, when Mother Teresa got it. The Bharat Ratna has never been an honour like the Nobel Prize, something which just has to be bestowed on someone, somehow, every year, year after year.

Why did Bismillah khan,Ravi Shankar ,Bhimsen Joshi get a award and not Kishore Kumar,Hariprasad Chaurasia,Ar.Rahman even Actors/Producers like Amitabh Bachan and Dev Anand?

For roughly the same reasons as why Gabriel García Márquez received the Nobel Prize in Literature while James Hadley Chase didn't. (Though I must admit, it has never failed to amaze me that Borges never received the Nobel Prize for Literature.)

Vishwanathan Anand is a good case too but again the sport is not as popular plus he does not live in the country.

The Bharat Ratna is not a prize to be given to the winner of a popularity contest. Nor is it one to be awarded to the longest living resident of the country.

Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera and Vishy Anand may not be as popular, but deserve it far more than Tendulkar does. They were pioneers who showed the path, unlike Tendulkar who merely followed one.

 

[indiaholic]

Plus Vishwanathan Anand lives in spain for 3/4 years now and is going to apply for residency there apparently.

There was a problem recently in giving him a doctorate too.

Bindra has a case being the first individual olympic gold medalist ever but has been inconsistent and has had a short career only.
Vijender hasn't really done anything which a Indian has not done so far and has a short career so far too. No way does he deserve a Bharat Ratna at this stage ahead of many others.
Paes and Bhupati have a case ,but Sachin is a bigger case for the simple icon value he brings to the country and the popularity he has ,and the way he has handled it for 21 + years.
Plus Tennis is not exactly a distinct represent your country sport ,though Paes unlike Bhupati has given his all for India over the years in the Davis Cup even when Bhupati chose to miss and has a olympic Bronze too.

An olympic bronze in Tennis isn't all that great to be honest. For games like tennis, football etc. the Olympics come way down in the prestige ladder.

 

[Cevno]

Ferriera won the World Billiards Open Championship. There is a wide and substantial difference, a world of difference really, between being the World Billiards Amateur Champion and being the World Billiards Open Champion. One is the champion among amateurs of the world, the other is the Champion of the World.

The World Open Championship does not exist anymore or did before actually. It was not a official tournament.

There are 2 Current world championships that exist in Billiards

One is a IBSF WABC which Wilson Jones won and one is a world professional billards championship which Geet Sethi won for the first time. The amateur Championship was the bigger crown ,even then.
Billiards is not really a profession for many other than the best who also play Snooker and Pool.

Not necessarily. There were no can of worms, except perhaps to the extremely bigoted, when Mother Teresa got it. The Bharat Ratna has never been an honour like the Nobel Prize, something which just has to be bestowed on someone, somehow, every year, year after year.

For roughly the same reasons as why Gabriel García Márquez received the Nobel Prize in Literature while James Hadley Chase didn't. (Though I must admit, it has never failed to amaze me that Borges never received the Nobel Prize for Literature.)

What are you suggesting here?

There are other names raised every time a Bharat Ratna is awarded specially in politics.
It is always controversial including even when Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi got it.

In fact Sachin will be one of the less controversial choices ,till date.

The Bharat Ratna is not a prize to be given to the winner of a popularity contest. Nor is it one to be awarded to the longest living resident of the country.

The iconic value to the country certainly counts when awarding the Bharat Ratna and so does how they have represented themselves.
And so does the popularity and where they are living too.

Dhyan Chand, Mike Ferriera and Vishy Anand may not be as popular, but deserve it far more than Tendulkar does. They were pioneers who showed the path, unlike Tendulkar who merely followed one.

All the sports these 3 played were played in the country before they started like Cricket with Tendulkar.

 

[Cevno]

An olympic bronze in Tennis isn't all that great to be honest. For games like tennis, football etc. the Olympics come way down in the prestige ladder.

It mattered to the country though,as it was the first Olympic medal for long and first olympic individual medal for a even longer massive amount of time.

 

[sachin200]

Vishy Anand (although deserves a bharat ratna) is not the best player of chess in this era (last 20-25 years). That title belongs to Gary Kasparov.
Dhyan Chand deserves a bharat ratna for being the Bradman of hockey but I thought India was the only team that played Hockey decently then.
Leander Paes (and mahesh bhupathi) never won anything in singles grandslams (which is the premier tourament in Tennis). The only thing he won of note is olympics bronze in 1996

 

[indiaholic]

It mattered to the country though,as it was the first Olympic medal for long and first olympic individual medal for a even longer massive amount of time.

Hmm... Agreed