Sachin Tendulkar is already a 'Bharat Ratna', says Trivedi (Amended)

New Delhi, Dec 16 (ANI): With the government making amendments in the eligibility criteria for Bharat Ratna which includes sports persons, Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi describing Sachin Tendulkar to be an inspiration for the whole world on Friday said awarding the master blaster with the country's highest civilian award would be a mere formality.

"I really don't know the details, but I think whether Sachin Tendulkar whether he formally gets a Bharat Ratna or he doesn't, he is already a Bharat Ratna. These are all things, which you decorate to deserving people and I think Sachin Tendulkar needs no formality. But definitely he is one of the greatest stars not only of India, but the world gets inspiration," Trivedi told the media outside the Parliament here.

"And I have personally known him a little. Beyond everything, he is a great human being also, and I think people in all spheres of life has to learn a lot from Sachin Tendulkar whether it is dedication, whether it is commitment or whether it is discipline or whether it is team work," he added.

Trivedi further said the people of the country should learn a lesson from Tendulkar's commitment and dedication.

"I think we all have to learn a lesson from Sachin Tendulkar, (it) doesn't matter whether we are in politics, whether we are in economics, whether we are scientists, he has shown how you can keep your head down, head cool, work with discipline and work with total dedication and work with patriotism," said Trivedi.

"I think Sachin Tendulkar is a package of everything and we all have to learn, doesn't matter what age we are, where we are and I salute him and wish him all the very best. May god give him lot of good health and a very long life," he added.

The Bharat Ratna can now be awarded in recognition of exceptional service and performance of the highest order 'in any field of human endeavour'.

It was earlier restricted to areas like art, literature, science and public service, making it difficult for government to consider names of those, who contributed immensely to other fields, including sports.

Tendulkar, 38, has compiled an extraordinary 99 international tons, 51 in Tests, 48 in one-day matches, and his quest for three figures has become a national obsession in India since his last ton in March. (ANI)