Manu Bhaker‘s father, Ram Kishan, has expressed disappointment over her daughter’s reportedly being ignored for the Khel Ratna list. He lashed out at the nomination process, stated that Manu won two medals in a single edition of the Olympics, and asked what else to expect from one for the government to recognise her efforts.

In Paris 2024, Bhaker became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning performance in the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events.

Bhaker’s father, Ram Kishan, asserted that she may have been considered for the awards if he had made her a cricketer.

“I regret putting her in the sport of shooting. I should have instead made her a cricketer. Then, all the awards and accolades would have come her way. She won two Olympic medals in a single edition, no one has ever done that. What else do you expect my child to do for the country? The government must recognise her efforts,” Manu Bhaker’s father told Times of India.

The final list has not yet been unveiled, but several reports have suggested that Bhaker has been shockingly ignored for this year’s Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.

Ram Kishan also revealed his chat with Manu, as he claimed that the axe disheartens his daughter and she even regrets going to the Olympics now.

“I spoke to Manu, and she was disheartened by all this. She told me, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. In fact, I shouldn’t have become a sportsperson’,” he added.

The award selection committee comprised of 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.

It has been reported that the committee has recommended India hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, who led India to a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in Paris, for the Khel Ratna. Also nominated for the honour is para athlete Praveen Kumar, who won a gold in the men’s high jump T64 class with an Asian record at Paris Paralympics.