There is an uproar Down Under over Australian prime minister Julia Gillard’s announcement that Sachin Tendulkar would be conferred with the Order of Australia award.
There is an uproar Down Under over Australian prime minister Julia Gillard’s announcement that Sachin Tendulkar would be conferred with the Order of Australia award.
Gillard, who made the announcement during a visit to a cricket clinic in New Delhi, said the “special honour”, would be awarded by Australian cabinet minister Simon Crean when he visits India soon.
“I’m very pleased we’re going to confer on Sachin Tendulkar membership of the Order of Australia,” she told reporters.
“This is a very special honour, very rarely awarded to someone who is not an Australian citizen or an Australian national.”
Instantly, Australian fans criticised Gillard’s decision citing Tendulkar’s role in the Monkeygate scandal involving the countries’ cricket teams.
The star batsman was a key witness in the Harbhajan Singh-Andrew Symonds racism controversy during the 2007-2008 series.
Australian paper Herald Sun held a poll on its website asking if Tendulkar deserved the award. As of Tuesday evening, 43.79 per cent voted in favour of the Indian maestro and 56.21 per cent said no.
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry to recognise Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service. Tendulkar will be awarded the AM, which is one of the six grades in the Order of Australia.
“Cricket is of course a great bond between Australia and India. We are both cricket-mad nations. I am very pleased that we are going to confer on Sachin Tendulkar, membership of the Order of Australia (AM),” Gillard said.
“This is a very special honour very rarely awarded to someone who is not an Australian citizen or an Australian national. He is away playing cricket — surprise, surprise but the award will be conferred on him by minister Crean when he visits India,” she said. “So, a special honour and a very special recognition of such a great batsman. The honour is very special and Sachin is a very special cricketer.”
Tendulkar, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, will become only the second Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to get the honour. Sorabjee was made an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia (AM) “for service to Australia-India bilateral legal relations” in 2006.
—With agency inputs
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