CHENNAI: Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finally broke her silence on her exclusion from Khel Ratna list. Putting out a statement on her social media handle where she spoke about the lapses said, “Awards and recognition keep me motivated but are not my goal.”
“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… I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected,” she wrote on X.
Her coach Jaspal Rana, however, is not amused by the snub. He pointed out that it doesn’t matter whether she had applied or not as her achievements are there to be seen by everyone. “Her name is not on the list. It doesn’t matter whether she applied or not,” he told this daily.
Doesn’t the people know what she has achieved? Everyone knows her achievement. She has won two medals at the Olympics and she deserves Khel Ratna.” He felt that Awards should come automatically and not applied. "Does athletes know how to apply?" is his question.
“It is alright if her name was discussed and the committee had decided against giving her. At least the name should have been discussed after what she has achieved. There could be a mistake. But not considering her is not right,” he said.
Jaspal also pointed out that there have been precedents when players have been considered for Khel Ratna without applications.
Whether this has affected Manu’s training? Jaspal said that Manu is a matured person and knows how to handle pressure situations. "She has already posted her comment on social media. She is training. But shooting is a mental sport. We don’t know how it (snubbing) can affect her.
Sometimes during shooting the best and worst things come to the mind. So this might come back at the most crucial moment.”
Jaspal urged the authorities that such a thing should not happen. “It is a request. I am not blaming anyone but this kind of thing should never happen. There are a lot of youngsters who follow stars and their achievement and something like this happens it is not good promotion for sport.”
The sports ministry is yet to announce the final list that has two Khel Ratna awardees and 30 Arjuna Awardees. It is understood that the ministry is mulling the next course of action that could see her name included in the list. There is another argument that suggests including her name now might complicate matters with regard to other athletes. Whatever the final outcome, hopefully the sports ministry will learn from this controversy and know how to avoid such a situation.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that Manu's name is expected to be included when the list will be made public.