Dhyan Chand nominated for Bharat Ratna

The sports ministry has chosen hockey legend late Dhyan Chand over cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar for India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. Sports minister Jitendra Singh has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to confer Bharat Ratna to Dhyan Chand and if the president approves, Dhyan Chand would become the first sportsman ever to win the award. A delegation led by Dhyan Chand's son Ashok Kumar, former Indian cricket captain Bishan Singh Bedi met Jitendra Singh on July 12 and argued in his favour.