Virbhadra praises Sachin Tendulkar for Bharat Ratna

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh has praised master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for being chosen for the country`s highest civil award Bharat Ratna.

In his message, the Chief Minister said Sachin devoted his life to cricket and showed extraordinary brilliance as a sportsperson and won laurels for the nation during the past 24 years. Being the youngest of 41 eminent personalities recognised for exceptional services and chosen for this award, Sachin had set an example for budding sportsmen, he said, adding that Sachin was not only a sportsperson but also a role model for the youth of the country. His honesty, sincerity, dedication and hard work and above all, down-to-earth personality were ingredients of his success and unparallelled achievements, he said. The Chief Minister said the records set by him were unmatched and he announced his retirement from international cricket after achieving "Himalayan heights".