New Delhi: Indian compound Archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam has written a letter to Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to consider her for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour for a sportsperson in the country.
This comes right after the furore over double-Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker’s name was missing from the recommended list by a 12-member committee formed by the Sports Ministry, though the shooter later admitted that the lapse was from her end.
Why Jyothi Surekha Vennam has asked Sports Ministry to consider her for Khel Ratna award?
Jyothi Surekha Vennam has achieved tremendous success in the world of compound archery. She has won gold medals in the World Cup Stage I in Shanghai this year, making it a hat-trick of gold medals, the third such female compound archer to achieve the feat. She also claimed gold medals in Asian Games in women’s individual and team events (women and mixed) in Hangzhou last season.
The 28-year-old has mentioned that all her major achievements lead her to earn 132 points in last four years’ period and if that could be considered for the Khel Ratna.
“I am V Jyothi Surekha, an Arjuna Awardee in Archery. There has been speculation of names in the news for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024 and I am writing this email in this regard. Sir, I have been representing the Indian Archery Team for the last 14 years and have won 62 medals so far,” Jyothi wrote in her email to Sports Minister, as reported by The Indian Express.
She mentioned the major achievements of her career and pointed out that she hasn’t been considered for the Khel Ratna award in last few years.
“I have been applying for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for the past few years and despite of having the highest points as per the criteria mentioned in the notification, I couldn’t find my name in the final list,” she further wrote.
Two years in a row
After Indian men’s doubles badminton players Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were conferred with the Khel Ratna Award in December last year, Jyothi filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court to question the goverment for not considering her for the prestigious award. The AP HC asked the Sports Ministry to reconsider the decision, but that never changed.
Indian compound Archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam has written a letter to Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to consider her for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour for a sportsperson in the country. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
