No obligations for sports persons given honorary rank: Antony

New Delhi, Dec 4: There are no laid down obligations for the sports person who are conferred with honorary ranks in the defence forces and there is no proposal to discontinue the practice, Defence Min A K Antony has said.

"These (Honorary) ranks are conferred on eminent sports persons to honour them for rendering services of a high order to the Indian Union," Antony said in a written reply to Lok Sabha on Monday.

Giving details of the eminent sports persons who were conferred these ranks in last three years, the Minister said, "There are no laid down obligations for the persons who are conferred honorary ranks."

Antony was asked, "Whether such sports persons fulfill their obligations for the ranks conferred on them and whether the government has any procedure in this regard and proposes to discontinue the practice."

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar was conferred with the honorary rank of a Group Captain in the Indian Air Force, while Olympic gold medallist in shooting Abhinav Bindra and the captain of Indian cricket team M S Dhoni were given the ranks of Lieutenant Colonels in the Territorial Army.

"Laid down procedures are followed in this regard to confer honorary ranks on eminent sports persons. At present, there is no such proposal to discontinue the practice," the Minister said.