NEW DELHI: Manu Bhaker’s identify going lacking from the advice checklist for the Major Dhyan Chand. Khel Ratna award just isn’t the primary occasion of its sort.
Manu created historical past on the paris olympics earlier this year after clinching again-to-again bronze medals within the ladies’s particular person 10m air pistol and within the blended staff occasion partnering Sarabjot Singh, cementing her place as one of many best Indian athletes in Olympic sports.
The 22-year-old from Haryana’s Jhajjar district turned the primary Indian to win two medals at a single Olympics since India attained independence.
But Manu’s identify was omitted from the checklist of athletes advisable for the Khel Ratna because the 12-member choice committee did not take cognizance of her unbelievable achievements throughout the awards cycle interval, the place she gained a number of medals at main multi-sport and worldwide occasions.
But after an enormous furore, the Sports Ministry is now contemplating nominating Manu’s identify for the nation’s highest sporting honor through the use of its government powers vested within the provisions of the National Sports Day awards scheme.
Last year, Mohammed Shami was nominated for the Arjuna Award solely after a particular request was made by the Indian cricket board (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to the Sports Ministry. The India pacer’s identify initially did not characteristic within the checklist of the nation’s second-highest sporting honour.
Shami was one of many architects of India’s runner-up end within the 2023 ODI World Cup at dwelling. In the ultimate, India misplaced to Australia.
Shami was the main wicket-taker within the World Cup, with 24 wickets to his identify from seven outings.
After sitting out the primary 4 video games, Shami shone vivid when given the chance, claiming 24 wickets at a median of simply 5.26.
But an exception was made for Shami to obtain the Arjuna Award in 2023. Typically, athletes are required to submit purposes to be thought-about for the award.
However, in Shami’s case, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) determined to waive the applying requirement as a consequence of his extraordinary performances within the ODI World Cup.
Shami’s important contribution to India’s success within the World Cup was deemed enough to advantage the award with out the formal software course of.
But when Shami did not characteristic within the checklist, the BCCI needed to request the Sports Ministry to incorporate the pacer’s identify.
This exception underlined how extraordinary achievements can result in deviations from normal protocols.
