Manu Bhaker despite being the two-time Olympic medallist for India, the only one for the country in the single edition, wasn't shortlisted for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Since then there has been much backlash as Bhaker herself was disappointed and her father Ram Kishan has come out firing on all cylinders against the ones who actually shortlist the names.
Indian hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic Gold medal winner Praveen Kumar were the only athletes shortlisted this time around. While the earlier statement from the sports ministry stated that Manu Bhaker hadn't applied for it, later, the statement suggested that this wasn't the final list and the sport shooter could be included. However, the whole episode has gotten murkier as the days have progressed with Bhaker's father not holding back with the athlete herself allegedly telling her father that she shouldn't have won medals for the country.
"It is also my fault that I encouraged Manu into Olympic sports. To the entire country's parents, I would like to say don't get your kids into sports but if you need money then get them into cricket and if you need power then make them IAS/ IPS or UPSC aspirants," he told PTI
"They are talking about hosting the 2036 Olympics but where are you going to get the athletes from when you discourage them like this? As a parent, I would like to tell other parents not to get their kids into an Olympic sport, get them educated instead when they become IAS/ IPS then they will have command over lakhs of players on who should get the Khel Ratna," he added.
"I spoke to Manu, and she was disheartened by all this. She told me, 'I shouldn't have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. In fact, I shouldn't have become a sportsperson'," Ram Kishan Bhaker was quoted as saying by the Times of India.
Bhaker herself had issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday admitting that awards do play a role in boosting an athlete's morale but will stay motivated to give her best for India.
“With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award, I would like to state that as an athlete, my role is to play and perform for my country. Awards and recognition keep me motivated but are not my goal. I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected. Irrespective of the award, I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country," Bhaker said.
With Mohammed Shami's name being included in the list as an exception last year after his magnificent performance in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, there is an expectation, after all the furore and hullabaloo, Bhaker's name would also feature on the final list.
