The speed with which the PMO acted on giving Bharat Ratna to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar seemed to be abse... Read More

BANGALORE: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar and eminent scientist CNR Rao may have been awarded the Bharat Ratna at the same time, but the speed with which the Prime Minister's Office acted on giving it to the cricketer seemed to be absent in Rao's case. Tendulkar was the first to be chosen from the field of sports for the nation's highest civilian award, ahead of hockey maestro Dhyan Chand, whose name had been recommended by the Union sports ministry in July 2013.

The PMO sought information about Tendulkar from the sports ministry on November 14, the first day of his farewell Test in Mumbai. Two days later, the PMO announced that he and Rao would receive the Bharat Ratna, says a PMO document in response to a RTI query by Jhansi-based Hemant Dubey.

The information reached the PMO in less than four hours. The following day, formalities involving the President and the Prime Minister were completed and the award announced on November 16. The Prime Minister's letter informing Tendulkar, a Rajya Sabha member, of the honour was dated November 17, Dubey said.

Rao's name was recommended by Planning Commission member K Kasturirangan on September 28. However, the PMO took its time scrutinizing the name. The PMO sought Rao's bio-data from the department of science and technology. The information was sent in due course – but without the haste shown in Tendulkar's case.

Once Tendulkar's name came in, things moved rapidly.

Dubey said he did not receive the entire information from the PMO. The letter from the PMO said: "The communication between the Prime Minister and the President is privileged communication under provisions of Article 74(2) of the Constitution and is not to be disclosed." Tendulkar and Rao will receive the award from President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.