Reports about double Olympic-medalist Manu Bhaker being ignored for this year’s Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award have caused a fuss. However, a senior official from the sports ministry clarified that the list is still being finalised. “There is no final list of nominees at this point. Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya will decide on the recommendations in a day or two, and her name, in all likelihood, will be there in the final list,” the official told PTI.
Family responds to omission reports
Manu’s father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, expressed his disappointment, said, “There is no worth of playing Olympic sports in India because despite winning two medals in an Olympics, Manu has been ignored for the Khel Ratna award. There is no point in playing and winning rewards for your country and in turn beg for recognition.”
He added that Manu had been applying for awards like the Khel Ratna and Padma honours for years. While he could not confirm her latest application due to being at sea, he stressed that her achievements should warrant consideration regardless.
Manu Bhaker’s historic Olympic feat
In August, Manu Bhaker made history as the first independent Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic edition. She secured bronze in the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events. Despite her remarkable achievements, reports of her exclusion from national honours have raised eyebrows.
Committee and selection process
The award selection committee, led by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramam, includes prominent figures like hockey star Rani Rampal. The ministry’s norms allow athletes to self-nominate, but the committee can also include non-applicants based on merit. Ram Kishan criticised bureaucratic interference, saying, “We form a committee, but it is the bureaucrats who call the shots. This is not how sports function.”
Other key recommendations for Khel Ratna
The committee is reportedly recommending:
- Harmanpreet Singh: Captain of the Indian men’s hockey team that clinched a second consecutive Olympic bronze.
- Praveen Kumar: Para athlete who won gold in men’s high jump T64 at the Paris Paralympics with an Asian record.
Arjuna Awards Selections
A total of 30 athletes have been proposed for the Arjuna award, including 17 from para sports. Wrestler Aman Sehrawat, shooter Swapnil Kusale, and Manu’s mixed-team partner Sarabjot Singh are among the nominees. Additionally, members of the Indian hockey team, such as Jarmanpreet Singh and Sanjay, have been shortlisted.
