Lucknow, Mar 26 (IANS): Sachin Tendulkar's fans have launched a campaign in Uttar Pradesh to collect one million signatures on cricket bats to demand Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, for the cricketer.
The fans hope to fill up 4,000 cricket bats to be presented to President Pratibha Patil, say the students and faculty members of a management institute in Shahjahanpur, 180 km from Lucknow.
"The campaign was launched Wednesday and is getting popular. It is a small initiative to pay respect to Tendulkar who truly deserves the Bharat Ratna," Narayan Institute of Management head Shashi Bhushan told reporters Friday in Shahjahanpur.
"The campaign will also be conducted in around 15 districts including Bareilly, Pilibhit, Badaun, Hardoi, Rampur, Moradabad and Bijnor," Bhushan said.