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Indian shooter and Paris 2024 double medallist Manu Bhaker broke her silence on her snub from the list of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award nominees. Bhaker clarified her instance and emphasized that while awards help her get motivated, it is not her ultimate goal. Notably, there have been reports doing rounds that Bhaker’s name was missing from the list of nominated athletes for the prestigious award. Bhaker was the first Indian athlete since Independence to win two Olympic medals in a single edition.
Her snub from the list has brought the Indian Sports Ministry under scrutiny. However, Bhaker opened up on her snub and said that there might be a lapse on her part as well. Bhaker, in her statement, said, “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 keeps me motivated but are not my goal.”
She added, “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. It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this matter.”
Regret putting her in sport, should have made her a cricketer: Manu Bhaker’s father
Following Manu Bhaker’s snub from the list of the nominees for the prestigious award, Ram Kishan expressed his disappointment. He suggested that his daughter would have received more acclaim if he had chosen to make her a cricketer instead of a shooter. He said, "I regret putting her in the sport of shooting. I should have instead made her a cricketer. Then, all the awards and accolades would have come her way. She won two Olympic medals in a single edition, no one has ever done that. What else do you expect my child to do for the country? The government must recognise her efforts.”
He told TOI, "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'.”
