No Khel Ratna for Paris Olympics Double Medallist Manu Bhaker? Officials and Family Disagree

In a shocking turn of events, ace shooter Manu Bhaker, who made history at the Paris Olympics 2024 by winning two bronze medals, has not been nominated for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. While sports ministry officials have claimed that Bhaker didn’t apply for the award, her family has denied the assertion, adding a layer of controversy to the situation.

Bhaker, 22, was the first Indian to win two Olympic medals in one edition of the Games since independence. She clinched the first bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event. Bhaker became the first Indian female shooter to secure an Olympic podium finish. In the mixed 10m air pistol event, she won the second bronze with teammate Sarabjot Singh. Bhaker almost missed out on a third medal when she ended up fourth in the women’s 25m pistol final.

Ministry and Family in Conflict

According to a report by Times of India, the officials of the sports ministry have stated that Bhaker had not submitted her application for the country’s highest sporting honour. Sources close to the shooter’s family, however, have rebutted the claim stating that Bhaker had indeed submitted her application for the award. The dispute has generated a controversy as fans and experts question the selection process of the Khel Ratna.

Bhaker’s Paris successes were after a tough period where at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, her pistol jammed, killing all her medal hopes. Such an incredible comeback this year has been a subject of praise, which further heightened debate over her exclusion from nominations.

Other Khel Ratna Nominees

While the absence of Bhaker has been a topic of heated discussion, some big names have made it to the list of nominees. Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led the team to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, and para-athlete Praveen Kumar, a gold medallist in the men’s high jump T64 category, are among the nominees recommended by a 12-member selection committee headed by Justice V. Ramasubramanian, a retired Supreme Court judge.

Harmanpreet is one of the sport’s deadliest drag-flickers, with the honors list running long-from being a three-time FIH Player of the Year award and leading India to triumph in the Asian Games for 2023. Likewise, Praveen Kumar also shone bright in para-athletics; they broke barriers and etched new records on the international playground.

The Road Ahead

Manu Bhaker’s exclusion despite past historic feats has invited curious questions regarding the select process for India’s greatest sporting honours. Sports fans today are in a discussion relating to this issue while the nation is eagerly waiting for such clarity from the authority who would appreciate the hard working athletes that have earned such laurels for their nations.

For now, the spotlight remains on Bhaker’s incredible achievements and the mystery surrounding her exclusion from the Khel Ratna nominations.

It is a glory moment for India as para-athlete Praveen has taken the lead as the nation’s top high jumper. This 21-year-old has struck gold in the Paris Paralympics, leapfrogging to 2.08 meters in the final, marking his back-to-back Paralympics medal. This follows silver at the Tokyo Paralympics where he notched an Asian record 2.07-meter leap. Praveen keeps inspiring millions with his continued rise in the para-athletics arena.

Meanwhile, debates over the conferring of the most coveted sports honors have regained momentum. Last year, Mohammed Shami, the India cricketer, was given the Arjuna Award without his application. The National Sports Day awards committee, at the behest of the BCCI, took suo moto cognizance of the Bengal pacer’s contributions to cricket and conferred the honor upon him.

For example, very recently young Indian shooter Manu Bhaker took to social media seeking public opinion on her eligibility for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Bhaker had shared a picture of herself flaunting two medals won from the Paris Olympics saying: “Tell me, do I deserve the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award? Thank you.

There has been a mixture of reactions from netizens, who have praised and questioned her approach. Backlash led Bhaker to eventually delete her post. This is the same case wherein a suo moto cognizance by the selection committee to honor Bhaker for Paris’s unprecedented feats and other commendable performances in years gone by could be called in this regard.

As Indian athletes continue to make their nation proud on global pedestals, the processes under which sports awards are carried out raise crucial questions about merits and recognition.