NEW DELHI: Double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker’s name missing from the recommendation list of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award has created a furore. Caught on the back-foot, the sports ministry is now considering nominating her name for the country’s highest sporting honour by using its executive powers vested in the provisions of the National Sports Day awards scheme, TOI has learnt.
Manu created history at the Paris Games 2024 after clinching back-to-back medals (bronze) in the women’s individual 10m air pistol and in the mixed team event partnering Sarabjot Singh, cementing her place as one of the greatest Indian athletes in Olympic sports. The 22-year-old from Haryana’s Jhajjar district became the first Indian to achieve such a feat at a single Olympic edition since India attained independence.
