INDIA- President Pranab Mukherjee has presented the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, to the legendary cricketer, Sachin Tendulka who resigned from the game in November, 2013.

Tendulkare, 40-years, becomes the youngest person to win the award which is made on a recommendation by the Prime Minister to the President.

Previous recipients include India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and former PMs Rajiv and Indira Gandhi.

The honour was present to Tendulkar and leading scientist Prof CNR Rao at the Delhi’s Presidential Palace by President Mukherjee himself on Tuesday morning.

In his speech, Tendulkar said he dedicate the award to his mother Rajni, adding that “I will continue to bat for India even though cricket has stopped.”

Tendulkar bowed out of international cricket after his 200th Test match - 24 years and one day after his first.

He played in 664 international matches, scoring 34,357 runs and making 100 centuries. He scored almost 2,500 more Test runs than the second-placed batsman, Ricky Ponting.