BHARAT RATNA - TOP HONOURS - BUT, DOES IT FOLLOW ADEQUATE PROCEDURE?

We are all Happy that Sachin is being conferred the BHARAT RATNA. He deserves it richly. I have no doubt about it. So does Shri C.N.R.Rao.

But, many people are aggrieved that Shri Dhyan Chand and Shri A.B.Vajpayee are not given Bharat Ratna. Their contentions cannot be faulted.

The award of any Great honour on any Individual must be preceded by adequate procedure, verification of competing claims, selection of the best, ensuring some sort of National Consensus, taking the Opposition Parties along - among various important criteria.

People from Glamourous walks of life are often preferred for such awards - to the exclusion of people who are doing yeoman services to the people of India, silently. The recent revelation that the previous awardees have recommended many of their own kith and kin for the Padma awards shows that much is wanting in terms of TRANSPARENCY in the selection of eligible persons for these TOP HONOURS of the country - which will tend to make them worthless, in course of time, in the eyes of the General masses. Are there none among Indians - other than these recommended people - who are better than the recommended people? Who is scanning the whole landscape for this?

One curious criterion for the award seems to be that the - awardee must not have criticized the Government or its Policies. Is this a final, clinching criteria, above all others? C.N.R.Rao and Lataji may make small criticism - but only after the award. Such feeling must be avoided and complete Transparency must be introduced in the selection.

Let us take an example : Here are the awards received by Shri Amitabh Bacchan (Source :wikipedia etc ) here :

France's highest civilian honour, the Knight of the Legion of Honour, was conferred upon him by the French Government in 2007 for his "exceptional career in the world of cinema and beyond".

In 2011, actor Dilip Kumar blogged that Black should have been nominated for an Oscar. Kumar added: "If any Indian actor, in my personal opinion, deserves the world's most coveted award, it is you." 

• In 1999, Bachchan was voted the "Greatest Star of stage or screen of the Millennium" in a BBC Your Millennium online poll.
• In 2001, he was honoured with the Actor of the Century award at the Alexandria International Film Festival in Egypt in recognition of his contribution to the world of cinema.
• Many other honours for his achievements were conferred upon him at several International Film Festivals, including the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2010 Asian Film Awards.
• In 2003, he was conferred with the Honorary Citizenship of the French town of Deauville.
• In October 2003, he was conferred with the Medal of Honour of Morocco, given to him by King Mohammed at the Marrakech International Film Festival.
• In October 2003, TIME magazine dubbed Bachchan as "the Undisputed Godfather of Bollywood".
• In April 2005, The Walter Reade Theater of Lincoln Center in New York honored Amitabh Bachchan with a special tribute, retrospective—titled "Amitabh Bachchan: The Biggest Film Star in the World".
• In March 2010, he has been named the list of CNN's "top 25 Asian actors of all time".
• In June 2000, he became the first living Asian to have been modelled in wax at London's Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
• Another statue was installed in New York in 2009, Hong Kong in 2011, Bangkok in 2011 and Washington, DC in 2012.
• These apart, I find that Amitabh Bachchan has been honoured with the Global Diversity Award 2013 at the State Room of Britain's House of Commons in London. Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP presented the ornately sculpted glass Award to the 71-year-old actor describing him as "a Bollywood icon and the most famous Indian film star of all time."

ead more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/amitabh-bachchan-presented-with-global-diversity-award-2013/1/309399.html

These are apart from all the filmy awards in India.

Of course,the Government of India awarded him the Padma Shri in 1984 and the Padma Bhushan in 2001.  Between 2001 to 2013 - long period with so many great achievements by the actor - the actor did not come up for any further Higher awards from the Government Of India. For some reason, he is not (yet) found fit for Padma Vibhushan, leave aside, Bharat Ratna. If you don't find the Greatest ACTOR, acknowledged so by the world in general, for even Padma Vibhushan, it looks a little strange.

This is nothing. There are others like Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Sri Sri Ravishankar, who are creating peace, who are revolutionizing Education, who are stewards of Green revolution in a very Big way. There is also Baba Ramdev, who has created a revolution in India with his Yog and Ayurved. I am a direct beneficiary of his Yog and Ayurved both. I practice both - and can confirm to anyone who is willing to listen that his methods and medicines work. Forget his Political affiliations. See his work and service to the Nation.

If you forget that they also preach spirituality - you will find  that they have already rendered extraordinary service to the people around them - irrespective of caste or creed - and the beneficiaries run into crores of people. 

Why do you think, crores of young and old Indians, educated and uneducated both, are flocking to them. They give them peace, solace, progress, education and many things which the average Politician can, unfortunately, not even comprehend. Until you taste the reality that they can unravel before you, you will never know the unreality in which you are living. Who else deserves Bharat Ratnas better than these Greats, who are transforming crores of lives to the better in many, many ways.

But, how will the Babus and the Politicians sitting in Delhi and judging people for these awards - even understand their impact on the social life around them.

Can we imagine that persons who do not even possess a Padma Sri are the ones who are judging who should be Bharat Ratna or Padma Vibhushan - and worse, judging people as unfit for Padma vibhushan and other Padma awards, despite their glorious contribution.

I am not blaming or ridiculing the awards given so far. Definitely Not so. I am not blaming the current panels also. Anything can be bettered. Therefore, I am stating that there is huge need to make the Panels much better qualified for Judging people of such High standards.

Future awards can be more meticulous and Transparent than at present. They must involve Opposition parties, persons from different walks of life etc - apart from babus and Ministers. Rather - exclude Babus and Ministers from the Panel. Make it a Highly distinguished panel.

I personally feel - those who are serving the Poor and the suffering in a Big way - must come first in the list of Padma awards. People from other walks of life must come thereafter. Recognize the Real Heroes of India - who are transforming lives. Then, recognize people in all other walks of life. This should be the PRIORITY.

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