Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic medallist shooter, recently made headlines after reports revealed her name was missing from the list of athletes nominated for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Bhaker, the first Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in a single edition of the Games, expressed surprise over the omission, but clarified that it could be due to a lapse on her part while filing the nomination. She emphasized that awards motivate her but are not her ultimate goal, and reassured her supporters that the issue was being addressed.

The incident drew criticism from Bhaker's coach, Jaspal Rana, who blamed the Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) for not recognizing Bhaker’s achievements. Rana argued that the omission was a humiliation for the athlete and criticized the new process that requires athletes to self-nominate for awards, calling it demeaning and not in the best interest of sports.

While the Sports Ministry maintained that Bhaker did not apply for the award, her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, stated that the necessary procedures were followed. The controversy has sparked a broader discussion about the nomination process for India’s top sports awards and the recognition of athletes' accomplishments.