It seems as it the whole saga surrounding Manu Bhaker and her selection for the Bharat Ratna may be dawning to an end, as it has been leant that her name is likely to be added to the final list of the nominees after union sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya is set to take a call on the matter.
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.
The sports ministry and the 12-member awards committee were criticised, although a ministry official said: “this is not the final list, there is a process involved”.
The Awards Committee for the Dhyan Chand Bharat Ratna involve the likes of characters such as retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian and also includes former women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal, boxer Vijender Singh, and cricket great Anil Kumble among others.
Alot of deliberation exists around whether or not she even submitted the application for the Bharat Award, but speaking to Hindustan Times, NRAI Prez Kalikesh Singh Deo reinstated that they were completely in the dark about her.
“We don’t even know if she applied or not, but if she did, I don’t think the committee had any reason to not consider her. If she didn’t apply, there’s nothing the committee could’ve done. We’re hopeful the ministry understands our point of view and gives her the award she so thoroughly deserves,” Kalikesh stated in his interview.