Archive photo of Manu Bhaker©AFP
Two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker’s name has not been excluded from the list of major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards and the final names for the national sports awards are yet to be finalized, sources in the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday. Youth and Sports (MYAS). “There is no finalized list for the national sports awards yet, so there is no reason to exclude any player’s name,” said a MYAS source. Earlier today, Manu Bhaker’s father Ram Kishan Bhaker expressed disappointment that his daughter was not shortlisted for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
“It was very shocking to see that Manu Bhaker was not considered by the committee for the Khel Ratna award. Many former players tried to speak out about it, but officials said that people who did not ‘would not have applied for this honor,’ Ram Kishan Bhaker said in a video he made himself.
He said there should be a sports legend included on a committee that decides whether to give the honor.
“There are many sports legends like PT Usha, Abhinav Bindra, Anjum Gopi George and Anjali Bhagwat. These players should be selected when they have knowledge in sports. The country knows that Manu has achieved such a great feat of which all country was proud,” he said.
Manu Bhaker opened India’s medal tally at the Olympics after securing third place in the women’s 10m air pistol individual event, becoming the first shooter to win an Olympic medal for India .
She made history for India at the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning two bronze medals in the shooting event. Manu and Sarabjot Singh won bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event.
The duo of Manu and Sarabjot beat South Koreans Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal playoff match. Manu and Sarabjot shot consistently with regular 10s in the series against the South Koreans to win India’s second medal.
Sarabjot and Manu won the bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol (Mixed Team) event, which was India’s first ever shooting team medal.
In her final event, she narrowly missed out on the historic treble and finished fourth in the women’s 25m pistol event.
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