Bharat Ratna Archives - Voice from the rooftop

Rajya Sabha nominations

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Rajya Sabha nomination is not an award or a prize or a title. Article 80 of the constitution prescribes that a person to be nominated to Rajya Sabha should have special knowledge or practical experience in respect of literature, science, art and social service.

Over the years many people have been nominated to Rajya Sabha in violation of the constitution. Mani Shankar Aiyar lost Lok Sabha election, he was nominated. Kuldip Nayyar was a journalist. Fali Nariman was a lawyer. Chandan Mitra, Shobhana Bhartia and Cho Ramaswamy were journalists.

Bharata Ratna candidates

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

The decision of the government to change the rule for eligibility to get Bharata Ratna has stirred a debate and opened the floodgates with demands for Bharata Ratna for various persons. Formerly it was for art, literature, public service and science. Now it is for any field in human endeavour. The change came about because sport was not a category for which Bharata Ratna was given and many people wanted Sachin Tendulkar should get Bharata Ratna.

There are people who feel all national awards should be abolished because they are political. They are few. There are those who say giving Bharata Ratna for sport will devalue Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna which was equivalent to Bharata Ratna and if someone is given Bharata Ratna for sport all sportspersons who got Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna will feel humiliated. Sachin Tendulkar has got Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Since sport is included for Bharata Ratna, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna should be abolished.

Bharat Ratna

Posted on January 18, 2008 by Vincent Augustine D'Souza

Since L. K. Advani wrote to Manmohan Singh asking Bharat Ratna to Atal Behari Vajpayee many have joined demanding Bharat Ratna to various people. Names of Jyoti Basu, Kanshiram, Mohammed Rafi, Jyotiba Phule, S. B. Chavan, Biju Patnaik and others have come up. Bharat Ratna and Padma awards were abolished by Janata Government in 1977…