Can Manu Bhaker Still Get Khel Ratna Award? Report Claims Sports Ministry Now Trying To Find Way

Manu Bhaker's exclusion from the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna 2024 award nominees has not only sparked a controversy, but also reportedly some rearguard action from the sports ministry. The Paris Olympics double medallist shooter could still be in the running for India's highest sports honour. (More Sports News)

The sports ministry is thinking of using its executive powers vested in the provisions of the National Sports Day awards scheme, according to a Times of India report. The report adds that the ministry could invoke Articles 5.1 and 5.2 of the ‘Scheme for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Aw🔯ard' for that.

The provisions state: "Sportspersons eligible in accordance with award guidelines🍎 will be permitted to self-apply without the recommendation of the authorities/persons. Notwithstanding the above, the government reserves the 🌠right to nominate up to two nominations in deserving cases."

The report further mentions that sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya is likely to look at the lists of Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dhyanchand and Dronacharya nomin🎃ees and approve the names on Wednesday (December 25, 2024). It adds that the minister, who has been travelling, has already been apprised of the furore around Manu Bhaker's absence from the nominee list.

Furthermore, the TꦬOI report claims that Bhaker has also applied for the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. The shooter had applied on the Padma awards portal o🅘n September 15 for the country’s third and fourth highest civilian awards, as per the report.

Earlier, Bhaker's father Ram Kishan ཧhad reacted strongly to the award snub, criticizing the selection committee members for being “silent”. "What's the point of getting two medals in single Olympics if you have to beg for awards," a Sports Tak report had quoted Ram Kishan as saying. "One government official is deciding and committee members are silent not giving their opinion. I don't understand. Is this the way you are encouraging athletes?" he added.

"We had applied for the awa▨rd but have heard nothing from the committee. Why are parents encouraging their kids to play? They should push th🔥em to become IRS officers in the government," he further said.

A 12-member selection panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramasubramanian has reportedly made the decision to not nominate Bhaker. Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and para athlete Praveen Kumar have been recom🐷mended for the Khel Ratna.

Bhaker i𝓰s the first Indian athlete post-Independence to win two medals in the same edition of the Olympic Games. The 22-year-old was honoured with the Arjuna award in 2020. She is the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting, and fourth from the country to win multiple medals at the Olympics after Norman Pritchard (athletics), Sushil Kumar (wrestling) and PV Sindhu (badminton).

Soon afಌter her Paris 2024 exploits, Bhaker was trolled on social media for an alleged tweet asking for the Khel Ratna from the government. She had purportedly posted on X (formerly Twitter): ‘Tell me, Do I deserve the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Thanks'. The post ไwas said to be deleted later.