NEW DELHI: It has been alleged that double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker was not considered for the country's highest sporting honour, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Manu Bhaker is not in the list recommended by the 12-member selection committee for the award, it has been reported.

The selection committee is headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian. India's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Para high jumper Praveen Kumar are also in the list. Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian hockey team to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Praveen Kumar is a high jumper who won gold in the Paralympics held in Paris.

The sports ministry said that double medallist Manu Bhaker has not applied for the award. However, Manu's family and close sources said that the application was sent. The final decision on the recommendation will be taken by the Centre. There are also opinions that even if Manu did not apply for the award, the double medalist should have been considered. Manu received the Arjuna Award in 2020 for her outstanding performance in sports.

Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals in shooting at the last Paris Olympics. The medals were in the 10m women's air pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed category. Manu is the fifth Indian athlete and the first woman to win a medal in Olympic shooting.

After the Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker faced a lot of criticism for her remarks about the Khel Ratna on social media. 'Do I deserve the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award? Thank you', Manu wrote on X. After this became a big criticism, she had deleted the post.