Explained: How athletes are selected for Khel Ratna Award amid Manu Bhaker and Harvinder Singh’s criticism

Months after their heroics in Paris, shooter Manu Bhaker and para-archer Harvinder Singh are in the news again and this time it’s not because of their sporting achievements. Bhaker and Harvinder were among the standout performers in the Paris 2024 Games earlier this year in the Olympics and Paralympics respectively. Pistol shooter Bhaker had made history with two bronze medals, becoming the first Indian post-Independence to win more than one medal in the same edition of the Olympics. A month later, Harvinder would become the first Indian to win gold in Paralympic archery.

Both Bhaker and Harvinder, however, have been in the news lately for being critical of this year’s shortlist for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

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Why Manu Bhaker and Harvinder Singh have been critical of the Khel Ratna Award shortlist?

Both Bhaker and Harvinder have slammed the Sports Minister after their names were reportedly not included in the shortlist for the prestigious award, which is presented during the National Sports Awards ceremony.

Bhaker, who had suffered a heartbreak in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a pistol malfunction, would later put up a post on social networking platform X questioning whether she was even worthy of the award.

“Tell me, Do I deserve Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award? Thank You,” wrote the 22-year-old in the post that she deleted later.

Bhaker’s father Ram Kishan later stated that he "regretted" introducing her to the sport of shooting, and should have instead encouraged her to take up a popular sport like cricket instead.

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“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?” Ram Kishan told The Times of India.

It is worth noting, however, that Bhaker herself later admitted to a “lapse on her part” while filing for the nomination process.

“With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award – I would like to state that as an athlete my role is to play and perform for my country. I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected,” Bhaker posted on her social media accounts on Tuesday.

Harvinder would later allege "discrimination" in the selection process for the Khel Ratna Award, stating that while Tokyo 2020 Paralympic gold medallists received the award, para-athletes who finished on top of the podium in Paris 2024 were ignored.

“Discrimination in sports’ Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Gold medalists were awarded by Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, but what about Paris 2024 Paralympic Gold medalists? Same Competition, Same Gold, same pride, why not same award?” the 33-year-old wrote on X, tagging the Prime Minister’s office.

What is the selection process for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award?

The Khel Ratna award, which is the highest sporting honour in India, was first presented in 1992 and was previously known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in honour of the former Prime Minister of India. While an athlete earlier used to receive the award on the basis of his/her performance over the last one year, the rule has since been amended to increase the time period from one to four years.

As for the process of selecting an athlete for the award, National Sports Federations (NSFs), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Sports Promotion and Control Boards as well as state and union territory governments can send nominees so long as there aren’t more than two individuals in one sport.

The Sports Ministry can also take suo moto cognisance of an athlete whose name has not appeared in the list and nominate him/her.

The list is then forward to SAI and National Anti-Doping Agency for verifying sporting achievements as well as to check any doping-related offence, which would lead to the removal of an athlete’s name if found guilty.

The names are then forwarded to a 12-member committee appointed by the Sports Ministry comprising previous winners of the award as well as veteran journalists as well as the Director General of SAI and the Joint Secretary of the Department of Sports and other administrators and experts.

Nominated athletes are then awarded points for their recent achievements, and those with the highest points are forwarded to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports – the post that is currently occupied by Mansukh Mandaviya for final approval.

In response to Bhaker and Harvinder’s criticism, the Sports Ministry had recently clarified that the list for the Khel Ratna Award was yet to be finalised.

“There is no finalised list for National Sport’s Awards yet so there is no point of exclusion of name of any player,” a Ministery of Youth Affairs and Sports source was quoted as saying according to ANI.