'No final list yet,' says ministry after Manu Bhaker missing from Khel Ratna nominees raises eyebrows

New Delhi: Amid reports that double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker has been shockingly ignored for this year's Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, a top sports ministry source has asserted that the names are yet to be finalised and she is likely to be there when the list is unveiled in a week's time.

In August, Bhaker became independent India's first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events. Reports of her omission from the national honours evoked shock with her family insisting that application was duly submitted.

"There is no final list of nominees at this point. Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya will decide on the recommendations in a day or two and her name, in all likelihood, will be there in the final list," a ministry source said.

The award selection committee is a 12-member panel headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramam. It includes former athletes like women's hockey captain Rani Rampal among others.

The ministry norms allow athletes to self-nominate instead of relying on federations and other institutions for it. The selection committee is, however, allowed to consider names which may not be among the applicants.

While the ministry claimed that Bhaker did not apply for the award, her father Ram Kishan Bhaker, a chief engineer in Merchant Navy, said the youngster had followed the due process.

"There is no worth of playing Olympic sports in India because despite winning two medals in an Olympics, Manu has been ignored for the Khel Ratna award. There is no point in playing and winning rewards for your country and in turn beg for recognition," Ram Kishan told PTI.

"She had been applying for all awards, say Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan for the last 2-3 years continuously and I have proof of that. This time too, I am confident she would have applied but I can't show anything as I am at sea right now.

"But even if she hasn't, the committee should consider her looking at her achievements," he asserted.

He blamed bureaucracy for the mess-up.

"We form a committee but it is the bureaucrats who call the shots. This is not how sports function," he said.

It is learnt that the committee has recommended India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led the country to a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal, for the Khel Ratna.

Also nominated for the honour is para athlete Preveen Kumar, who won a gold in the men's high jump T64 class with an Asian record at Paris Paralympics,.

The awards committee has recommended 30 athletes for Arjuna awards, including 17 from para disciplines.

Wrestler Aman Sehrawat, who won a bronze in the men's 57kg freestyle category, and shooter Swapnil Kusale, bronze medal-winner in the men's 50m rifle three position event, along with Bhaker's mixed team partner Sarabjot Singh have been recommended for the Arjuna award.

Members of the bronze medal-winning Indian hockey team, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Rajkumar Pal, Abhishek and one more player have been also recommended for the Arjuna award.