New Delhi/Mumbai: On Monday, the sports ministry revealed that Manu Bhaker, a talented shooter who has won two Olympic medals, wasn’t considered for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The reason is that she didn’t apply for the award. Her family is confused about why she should need to apply, especially since she made history by winning two medals at the same Olympics.
However, the sports ministry said that the final list of award nominees isn’t confirmed yet, so there’s still a chance for Bhaker to be recognized. A committee of 12 people recommended several athletes for the Khel Ratna Award, including Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the men’s hockey team, and Praveen Kumar, who won a gold medal in high jump at the Paralympics.
A sports ministry official stated, “This is not the final list. We follow a process, and the recommendations must go to the sports minister before anything is finalized.” People familiar with the situation said the committee usually reviews names from athletes who applied, and Bhaker’s application was missing.
According to new guidelines from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, athletes can only apply online and must self-apply through a specific website – which Bhaker did not do. A committee member mentioned, “If she had applied, there would be no reason to overlook her.”
Meanwhile, Bhaker’s father, Ramkishan, expressed his frustration, saying, “She shouldn’t have to apply after achieving such greatness. Everyone knows what she accomplished.” Bhaker’s coach, Jaspal Rana, said the young shooter feels sad about missing out on the award. He believes the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) should have helped her with the application.
NRAI president Kalikesh Singh Deo clarified that awards are between the athlete and the government. They recently wrote to the ministry, urging them to consider Bhaker’s impressive Olympic performance and career.
In the past, athletes didn’t always need to apply to be considered for awards. For example, cricket player Mohammed Shami received the Arjuna Award last year despite not applying. Now, however, the rules are stricter, and the committee can only consider athletes who have submitted their applications.
The Khel Ratna Award is India’s top sports honor and includes a medal and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh. Bhaker received the Arjuna Award, which is India’s second-highest sports honor, in 2020.
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