New Delhi: Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and eminent scientist Prof C N R Rao will be conferred with the country's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna by President Pranab Mukherjee at a function here tomorrow.
Master batsman Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket on November 16 last year, will be the first sportsman to be bestowed with the honour by the President at a function to be held in 'Durbar Hall' of Rashtrapati Bahavan.
Tendulkar (40) and Rao (79), both of whom are recipients of Padma Vibhushan -- the country's second highest civilian honour, will join a list of 41 eminent personalities who have been conferred with the award that is given in recognition of exceptional service of the highest order since it was instituted in 1954.
In a fitting finale to a record-breaking career spanning 24 years, Tendulkar, a former India Captain, was chosen for the prestigious award, after his farewell 200th Test against the West Indies in Mumbai on November 16, 2013.
An official statement had said Tendulkar has been a true Ambassador of India in the world of sports and his achievements in cricket are unparallelled, the records set by him unmatched, and the spirit of sportsmanship displayed by him exemplary.
"That he has been honoured with several awards is testimony to his extraordinary brilliance as a sportsman," it said, noting that Tendulkar has played cricket across the world and won laurels for the country during the last 24 years since a young age of 16.