Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker misses out on Khel Ratna list, Sources
Xtra Time Web Desk: India's celebrated shooter and Paris Olympics double bronze medallist, Manu Bhaker, has been omitted from the nominees for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. The exclusion has sparked controversy, with her father, Ramakrishna, questioning the process.
The 12-member National Sports Day committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramam, reportedly did not recommend Bhaker's name. While the Sports Ministry stated that Manu had not applied, her father claimed otherwise, saying, "We applied for the award but heard nothing from the committee."
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Manu's father voiced frustration, adding, "What's the point of winning two Olympic medals if you have to beg for recognition? Is this how we encourage athletes?" He criticized the lack of transparency, comparing it to cricketer Mohammed Shami’s case, where the BCCI's intervention secured him the Arjuna Award.
Manu Bhaker, who won the Arjuna Award in 2020, played a pivotal role in India's Paris Olympics campaign, contributing two of the nation’s six medals. Her victories in the women's 10m air pistol and mixed 10m pistol events marked a triumphant comeback after being unfairly targeted for the Indian shooting contingent's failure at the Tokyo Olympics.
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The shooter recently faced backlash for wearing her medals at promotional events, to which she responded defiantly, asserting pride in her achievements. Meanwhile, Indian men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar have been nominated for the Khel Ratna.
The debate over Manu's omission underscores concerns about fairness and recognition in India's sports award system.
