E-Paper
Manu Bhaker trolled after saying 'lapse on my part' led to Khel Ratna nomination miss: 'Shooting star to falling star'
Manu Bhaker trolled after acknowledging that it was a lapse on her part that led to her exclusion from Khel Ratna Award nominees.
Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker became the target of social media ridicule after acknowledging that it was a lapse on her part in filing nomination that led to her exclusion from the list of nominees for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
“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.
Awards and recognition keeps me motivated but are not my goal,” Manu Bhaker said in a statement posted on X this afternoon.
“I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected.
“Irrespective of the award I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country.
“It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this matter,” the shooter concluded.
Manu Bhaker trolled
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 at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The athlete acknowledged it was a lapse on her part that led to her name being excluded from the nominees for the prestigious sports award. The acknowledgement came after her father criticised the government for the oversight.
“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.
Manu Bhaker’s post admitting her own role in the incident led to the Olympic shooter being trolled online.
“Cleary your post on Khel Ratna back then backfired. Really hope you have a better PR. Good luck on your further journey,” wrote one X user.
“I think you disgraced yourself, Manu. From a shooting star to a falling star,” another wrote.
“One question: Why was your father spitting venom?” an X user asked.
Several people blamed her PR team for the fiasco, saying it brought her negative publicity. “Manu might be good at many things but her PR team is the worst, totally made mockery of her. Her team should have managed her more efficiently,” a user opined.
