ANOTHER FEATHER IN LITTLE CHAMP'S CAP

Maestro Sachin Tendulkar and Information Technology wizard Dr Vijay Bhatkar were conferred with "Maharashtra Bhushan Puruskar", Maharashtra's highest civilian award here on Monday night.

Tendulkar became the youngest recepient at the age of 28 when he received the award for the year 2000-01 from Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh at a simple ceremony held at Rang Bhavan in South Mumbai.

Bhatkar, the brain behind India's supercomputer "Param", has bagged the award for 1999-2000.

The award carries a scroll, memento and Rs five lakh.

Sachin, whose presence evoked enthusiastic response from the crowd, said he was missing his father at this moment. "Without his teachings I would not have been where I am today," an emotional Sachin said.

He profusely thanked his coach Ramakant Achrekar while also acknowledging the support provided by Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and his family members.

Sachin, who has scored 10,000 runs and claimed 100 wickets in the one-day edition of the game, vowed to give his best to the game thereby bringing laurels to the state as well as the country.

Bhatkar said he wanted to put Marathi at par with English on the computers and appealed the government to make efforts to take the IT benefits to the common man.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh praised the contribution of Tendulkar and Bhatkar in their respective fields. Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal suggested that both Bhatkar and Tendulkar be conferred with Bharat Ratna.

Cultural Affairs Minister Ramkrishna More, Minister of state for Cultural Affairs Vimal Mundada, cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, former Indian cricket board chief Rajsingh Dungarpur and Ramakant Achrekar were among those present on the occasion.

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