New Delhi, July 19: Sports Ministry has recommended hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand’s name for India’s highest civilian honour – the Bharat Ratna.
Sources told UNI that Sports Minister Jitendra Singh has written to the Prime Minister recommending Dhyan Chand’s name for the award.
The recommendation, sent to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will be studied further before it goes for approval of President Pranab Mukherjee, for the hockey wizard to get the award.
If the President approves, Dhyan Chand would become the first sportsman ever to win the award, which is normally bestowed on social workers, musicians, litterateurs and politicians.
In December 2011, the government had ignored a collective plea of 82 MPs who had backed Dhyan Chand for the award.
Dhyan Chand, who won three gold medals at the Olympics in 1928, 1932 and 1936 is widely considered as the greatest hockey player the world has ever seen.
(UNI)
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