New Delhi: In what comes as a piece of good news for Manu Bhaker and her fans, the double Olympic medallist is likely to make the cut in the final list of this year’s Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Reports of Bhaker being ignored for this prestigious award dominated the internet on Monday but now a top sports ministry source has told PTI that the names are yet to be finalised. The source further said that Bhaker is likely to be included in the list which is set to be unveiled in a week.
Bhaker enjoyed a successful year with India, winning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics in 2024. By doing so, Bhaker became India’s first athlete since independence to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. The Haryana shooter won bronze in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events in Paris.
Controversy surrounding Bhaker’s Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna application
The reports of her omission from the national honours did the rounds on the internet stunned her family, who revealed that the application was duly submitted. However, following the family’s reaction a Sports Ministry source told PTI that the final list of the nominees is not yet finalised.
“There is no final list of nominees at this point. Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya will decide on the recommendations in a day or two and her name, in all likelihood, will be there in the final list,” a ministry source said.
A 12-member panel headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramam will decide the nominees for India’s highest sports honour. The award committee also includes former women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal among others.
According to the ministry norms, athletes can self-nominate themselves instead of relying on federations and other institutions for it. However, the award selection committee can consider names that may not be among the applicants.
Earlier, the ministry said that Bhaker didn’t apply for the award but her father Ram Kishan Bhaker, a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy, rejected the claims and said her daughter had followed the due process. He vented his frustration and said that there is no worth in playing Olympic sports in India and no point in winning rewards for your country.
Ram Kishan blamed the bureaucracy for the mess-up.
Probable list of nominees and award ceremony
According to reports, the committee has recommended hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led India to a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal, for the prestigious award alongside para athlete Praveen Kumar, who clinched gold in the men’s high jump T64 class with an Asian record at Paris Paralympics.
As many as 30 athletes have been recommended for Arjuna awards, including 17 from para disciplines.
Bronze-medal-winning wrestler Aman Sehrawat, bronze winner in shooting Swapnil Kusale along with Bhaker’s mixed team partner Sarabjot Singh have been recommended for the Arjuna award.
Men’s hockey players including Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, and Abhishek have also been recommended for the Arjuna Award.
Reports of Manu Bhaker’s omission from the Khel Ratna recommendation list dominated the headlines on Monday. The news of snub stunned her family, Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
