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Business News/ Opinion / Sheen regained
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Sheen regained

The award of Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar and C.N.R. Rao has restored some of the lost sheen on the honour

Photo: ReutersPremium
Photo: Reuters

The award of the Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar and scientist C.N.R. Rao has restored some of the lost sheen on India’s highest civilian honour.

In recent years, such awards have attracted a great deal of controversy because of the extensive lobbying that accompanies them. Far from being markers of civic eminence and contributions to India’s public life, these prizes came to be seen more as club goods—with demand overshooting supply. The loss of prestige in the eyes of citizens (and not in those of recipients) was great. While this malaise did not afflict the highest award, a bit lower in the Padma series, demand often caught up with supply. The inflation in the number of these awards given in recent years is testimony to that.

Rao and Tendulkar are in a different league. They have added to the grace of the award and not the other way round. Hopefully, some order will be restored in all categories of awards.

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Published: 17 Nov 2013, 11:36 PM IST
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