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‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country’: Manu Bhaker devastated by Khel Ratna axe

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1 month ago

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‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country’: Manu Bhaker devastated by Khel Ratna axe

Manu Bhaker’s father revealed what the twin medal winner from the Paris Olympics told him when her name wasn’t shortlisted for the Rajv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
Manu Bhaker, the twin medal winner from the Paris Olympics 2024, is heartbroken to see her name missing from the shortlisted candidates for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel.

Ratna award. Bhaker, 22, became the first Indian athlete of the Independence era to win more than one medal at the Olympics when she bagged bronze each in the individual and mixed 10m air pistol events. Bhaker narrowly missed out on a hat-trick, finishing fourth in the 25m pistol event, but nevertheless created history for India.

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And yet, somehow, Bhaker was axed from the list of shortlisted candidates recommended by the sports ministry to the government. After the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, all seven Indian athletes who returned with a medal were awarded the Khel Ratna, but the same.

“Manu said she had applied on the portal. If that was the to case, then the committee must have considered her name. Whatever the situation, the federation has approached the ministry and requested the officials to include her name,” a source close to TOI said.

Ideally, a candidate has to put in his/her name to be considered for the award, but given the gravity of Bhaker’s achievement in Paris, she should have been an automatic pick. However, Manu has not been shortlisted despite applying for the award, leaving her and her father devastated.

Manu and her father upset

“The government must recognise her efforts. 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’,” Manu’s father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, told The Times of India.

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The backlash isn’t only confined to Bhaker. Many Indian sports fans have also lamented the decision, forcing the sports ministry to reconsider it. A report carried out by the TOI states that Bhaker may not be given the Khel Ratna Award after all, given all that has transpired over the last 24 hours.

Even outside of the Olympics, Bhaker’s achievements are arguably second to none. Between the Tokyo and Paris Games, Manu has won 17 gold medals, six silver medals, and five bronze medals across several shooting events, including the Shooting World Championship, the Shooting World Cup, the 2023 Asian Games, and the Junior World Championships, among many more.

Indian shooter Manu Bhaker expressed her devastation after being excluded from the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award list. Bhaker, who has consistently made the country proud with her remarkable performances, including winning medals at the Commonwealth Games and World Cup events, felt deeply hurt by the decision.

The Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honor, is awarded annually to athletes who have shown exceptional performance in their respective fields. Bhaker’s exclusion has sparked debate on the fairness and transparency of the selection process. Her supporters, including sports enthusiasts and fellow athletes, have raised their voices, questioning the oversight.

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For Bhaker, the emotional impact of the decision is clear. She has always been a fierce competitor, representing India on the international stage. Despite this setback, she remains determined to continue pursuing excellence in her sport, though the recognition from the nation’s sporting authorities remains a source of frustration for her.

The situation has sparked broader conversations about the recognition of athletes and the importance of acknowledging their contributions to national pride.

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Is a Sania Mirza biopic in the works? She reveals: Individuals have been conversing…

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2 weeks ago

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January 7, 2025

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Is a Sania Mirza biopic in the works? She reveals: Individuals have been conversing…

Sania Mirza reflects on the challenges of being famous. She prioritizes her son Izhaan, striving to maintain a balance between work and motherhood.
Sania Mirza has a lot on her plate after being appointed as Dubai’s Sports Ambassador. With a career as prolific as hers, her journey would certainly be inspiring for many people, if made into a film.

But we are yet to see one materialise on Mirza’s life. She says there has been interest showed, “A biopic has been on the cards, a lot of people have been talking about it. But I haven’t had offers of late, unless my managers have not told me about any!”

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While work goes on, with Mirza also managing her tennis academies, it didn’t prevent her from ringing in the New Year with her ‘forever date’, as she captioned her picture with her six-year-old, lovingly called Izzu.

We ask her about life as a single mother. “No matter what I do in my life, my son Izhaan is always going to be my priority. Even amongst my professional commitments, he will remain that. That doesn’t mean I don’t do other things. I try to revolve my stuff around Izhaan as much as I can,” says the 38-year-old, who became a mother in 2018.

“I also try to not leave him too much, at max maybe one-two nights if I have to travel for work. All of it works itself out. I try to find a balance,” she adds. Being a busy public figure also means that she is constantly in the public eye.

Doing and saying the right thing in her life must be a pressure. Does Mirza feel it? “Being famous or not comes with it’s own set of challenges. More than the pressure, I feel a sense of responsibility.

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I feel there are so many kids who look up to you, so you have a certain sense of responsibility about how you conduct yourself. I try to be myself as much as I can in the public eye. I feel humbled and honoured to be in this position. I speak from my heart,” she quips.

Sania Mirza, the tennis icon and former World No. 1 doubles player, has recently revealed that conversations are underway for a potential biopic about her life. In an exclusive interview, Sania opened up about how she has been approached by individuals.

interested in bringing her inspiring journey to the big screen. “Individuals have been conversing, and it’s something that could definitely happen in the future,” she shared. While she didn’t provide specifics, the possibility of a Sania Mirza biopic has excited her fans, who have long admired her achievements on and off the court.

Sania’s remarkable career includes six Grand Slam titles, a career-high doubles ranking, and her pioneering efforts to break stereotypes in the world of sports. Beyond her athletic prowess.

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she has been a vocal advocate for women’s empowerment, making to make her story even more compelling. From her struggles and sacrifices to her triumphs and resilience, a biopic would surely highlight the journey of a woman who has defied the odds and become a trailblazer in the world of tennis.

The conversation around a biopic is not surprising, as there has been increasing interest in telling the stories of influential sports figures, especially women, whose contributions have often been underappreciated. With a potential biopic on the horizon, Sania could inspire yet another generation of young athletes, especially girls, to pursue their dreams relentlessly.

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