Khel Ratna list not finalised, says ministry on Manu 'snub'

Ministry says shooter did not apply for the award, even as family asks why the process must be so stringent given her Paris feat

- HT Correspondents

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The sports ministry on Monday said that double Olympic medal-winning pistol shooter Manu Bhaker's name was not considered for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award because she had not applied for India's highest sporting honour, even as her family raised questions about the need for an application by the athlete in a year when her achievements were historic.

The sports ministry, however, added that the final list for the Khel Ratna has not yet been finalised, leaving the door open for Bhaker to be considered for the accolade.

A 12-member awards committee stoked controversy after its list of recommendations for India's highest sporting honour did not mention the double-medallist from the 2024 Paris Olympics. The recommendations for the Khel Ratna included Indian men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led the team to a bronze medal in Paris, and men's high jump gold medallist (in the T64 class) at the Paralympics Praveen Kumar.

"This is not the final list, there is a process involved," a sports ministry official told HT. "The recommendations have to go through the sports minister before the list of awardees is finalised," the official added.

People in the ministry aware of the development said the awards committee goes by the protocol of discussing those names who have applied for the National Sports Awards and Bhaker's application was not there.