New Delhi, Dec 23: Snubbed by the Sports Ministry for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s biggest sports award, despite making history by winning two bronze medals in the Paris Olympic Games, ace pistol shooter Manu Bhaker has left the decision to the people of the country to make the final call on whether she deserves the award or not.
Controversy erupted after the committee to decide the national sports awards did not recommend her name and instead put forth the names of Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh for the Khel Ratna Award, Manu’s father Ram Kishan, exclusively told Telecom Asia Sport that she knows that she deserves the award but has left it for the country to decide “I think I deserve it. Let the country decide,” Manu was quoted as saying by her father in an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport on Monday.
While the sports ministry has said that the 22-year-old shooter did not apply for the Khel Ratna, her family differs from the statement. “She has been applying for various awards like Padma Shri for the last four years. So why wouldn’t she apply this year?” questioned Manu’s father Ram Kishan speaking exclusively with Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).
According to Ram Kishan, in the last few years, Manu had submitted 49 cash award applications which she was entitled to, however, all 49 applications had been rejected. “Despite such a fantastic performance if Manu is not recommended for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, then I am forced to believe that all is not well in the committee, or some orders were being followed. If we are to make India a sporting hub, then Olympic medallists, and Olympians in general, should be given respect and encouraged rather than discourage them with decisions like these,” Ram Kishan added.
Manu Bhaker made history in the Paris Olympic Games by becoming the first Indian female shooter to win an Olympic medal by clinching bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She followed that up with another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol team event alongside Sarabjot Singh, marking the first time any Indian has won two medals in a single Olympics since India’s independence.
Earlier this year, Bhaker found herself at the center of a controversy after posting on social media, questioning whether she deserved the Khel Ratna Award. The post drew backlash, with critics deeming it inappropriate, leading Bhaker to delete it. Despite the controversy, the absence of her name from the list of nominees has sparked widespread disappointment among her supporters.
The 22-year-old shooter’s performance in Paris was a culmination of years of determination and perseverance, especially after enduring the heartbreak of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where a pistol malfunction derailed her campaign. Many had doubted her ability to bounce back, but Bhaker silenced her critics with a stunning comeback in Paris. Her achievements are not confined to the Olympic podium.
Bhaker also added to her illustrious record, which already includes gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. She claimed gold at the 2018 CWG in the women’s 10m air pistol event, setting a Games record, and triumphed at the 2022 Asian Games in the women’s 25m pistol team event.
IANS