India’s renowned shooter Manu Bhaker, who made history in the 2024 Paris Olympics by securing two bronze medals, is deeply upset over being overlooked for the Khel Ratna award. Manu claims that she had submitted her nomination through the online portal but was not included in the 30-person shortlist. As the first Indian athlete to win two medals at the same Olympic Games, Manu is understandably disheartened by the omission from the country’s highest sports honor. In fact, her father expressed regret over involving her in the sport of shooting, suggesting that she should have been a cricketer instead.
In an interview with the Times of India, Manu Bhaker’s father sharply criticized the sports ministry and the selection committee responsible for finalizing the list of Khel Ratna nominees. While the ministry has maintained that Manu did not submit her name for consideration, the shooter disputes this claim.
“I regret encouraging her to pursue shooting. I should have instead pushed her towards cricket. Then, all the recognition and awards would have naturally followed. She won two Olympic medals in a single edition, something no one has ever achieved. What more does my child need to do for the country? The government should acknowledge her efforts. I spoke to Manu, and she was really upset by all of this. She told me, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. In fact, I shouldn’t have chosen to become a sportsperson,'” Manu’s father shared with the paper.
Reports also indicate that Manu did submit her name via the online portal. The sports ministry and the federation are reportedly in discussions to fully investigate the situation.
“Manu mentioned that she had applied through the portal. If that’s true, the committee should have considered her name. Regardless of the circumstances, the federation has reached out to the ministry, asking the officials to ensure her name is included,” a source stated.
Manu has also reportedly applied for the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, which are the country’s third and fourth-highest civilian awards, respectively. The applications were submitted via the Padma awards portal on September 15.