Manu Bhaker Heartbroken After Missing Khel Ratna Nomination

Manu Bhaker, who won two medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, felt devastated when she saw her name excluded from the list of nominees for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. At 22, Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian athlete in the post-independence era to win multiple Olympic medals, securing bronze in both the individual and mixed 10m air pistol events. She narrowly missed a hat-trick, finishing fourth in the 25m pistol event, but still made a significant mark for India.

Despite her achievements, the sports ministry unexpectedly left Bhaker out of the list of shortlisted candidates recommended to the government. After the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the Khel Ratna honored all seven Indian athletes who won medals, but this rule did not apply to Bhaker or most of the medalists from Paris. Only Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar, from the Olympics and Paralympics contingent, made it to the 12 shortlisted candidates.

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Controversy Over Manu Bhaker’s Khel Ratna Nomination

A source close to TOI stated, “Manu mentioned that she had applied through the portal. If that’s true, the committee must have reviewed her name. Regardless, the federation has contacted the ministry, urging officials to include her in the list.”

Typically, a candidate must submit their name to be considered for the award, but given the significance of Bhaker’s achievement in Paris, the selection committee should have automatically chosen her. However, despite applying for the award, the committee did not shortlist Manu, which left both her and her father heartbroken.

Manu’s father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, told The Times of India, “The government should acknowledge her achievements. I spoke to Manu, and she was distraught by the situation. She told me, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. I shouldn’t have become a sportsperson.'”

The criticism isn’t limited to Bhaker. Many Indian sports fans have expressed disappointment with the decision, prompting the sports ministry to rethink it. According to a report by TOI, Bhaker may ultimately not receive the Khel Ratna Award, considering the developments of the past 24 hours.

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