Bharat Ratna likely for Vajpayee, Subhash Bose, Dhyanchand , Malviya

New Delhi, Aug 10: The

government on Saturday is likely to confer the

, the country's highest civilian honour, on more than one person on this Independence Day.The government reportedly ordered five Bharat Ratna medals from the Reserve Bank of India mint.

Freedom fighters Subhash Chandra Bose and Madan Mohan Malviya, hockey legend Major Dhyanchand and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee are likely to be honoured with the prestigious title.

Modi, who contested from Varanasi in this year's Lok Sabha election besides Vadodara, had paid tributes to the Malviya in the run-up to the polls. He also referred to former prime minister Vajpayee in his pre-poll speeches often.

The previous UPA govt had chosen Sachin Tendulkar over Dhyanchand for the award

The Sangh Parivar has felt that freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose has not received his due. Bose, a radical leader of the Indian National Congress became its president in 1938-9 but was ousted after having differences with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

He had escaped from India in 1940 after being put under house arrest and tried to join hands with other powers to take on the British power. However, he could not succeed in his efforts. Bose's plane reportedly crashed while heading to Taiwan though the mystery has remained unanswered all these years.

In 1992, the then Congress-led government decided to Bharat Ratna Award posthumously on Bose sparked a controversy. Since Bose's death is still not confirmed, the word "posthumous" received a backlash and Bose's family refused to accept the award.

The previous UPA government conferred the Bharat Ratna on two personalities this year, namely scientist Prof CNR Rao and former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar became the first sportsperson to get the award although the decision to choose him over hockey legend Dhyanchand met with a controversy.

Oneindia News