Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker was notably absent from the list of nominees for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, aggravating the Indian sports community and fans.
Manu Bhaker, who clinched two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, became the first Indian athlete post-independence to achieve such a feat in a single Olympic Games. Her omission from the Khel Ratna nominations list shocked many since the award is meant to honor the most outstanding performances in sports.
The Controversy – Wilful exclusion or inadvertent omission?
The absence of Ms. Bhaker’s name from the list of nominees has sparked a nationwide debate on the selection process, recognition of athletes, and possible administrative oversight.
The controversy deepened when the Union Sports Ministry claimed that Ms. Bhaker had not applied for the award.
However, her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy, contested this claim, stating that Manu Bhaker had indeed submitted her application.
‘She had been applying for all awards, say Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, for the last 4 years. Besides, sportsmen such as Neeraj Chopra did not apply for Khel Ratna but have gotten it, so why are they mentioning an application now?’ he asked.
Manu Bhaker’s father expressed frustration and disappointment, suggesting that her achievements would have garnered recognition if Manu had chosen a sport like cricket instead of professional shooting.
What did Manu Bhaker say?
Manu Bhaker acknowledged that there might have been a lapse while filing the nomination but emphasized that her motivation stems from performing for her country, not from receiving awards.
‘Irrespective of the award, I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country,’ she stated.
Public Reaction
Some users on social media even speculated about the political motives behind the exclusion, sharing pictures of her meeting with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in August 2024.
The sentiment online also reflected a broader dissatisfaction with how the central government addresses sports and athletes’ contributions, particularly those outside of cricket.
Sports Ministry reacts
In response to the mounting criticism, the Sports Ministry has reportedly gone into damage control mode, with sources indicating that there’s a possibility of invoking executive powers to nominate Bhaker post-factum.
Such a move would align with previous instances where the ministry has used its discretion to honor the athletes who were initially overlooked.