Bajrang to move court for Khela Ratna snub
The Jakarta Games gold medallist feels that his credentials are good enough to earn him country’s top sports award
NEW DELHI: The country’s top sporting awards and controversy are inseparable, or so it seems.
Even as the country celebrates the success of its athletes at the Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, one of India’s best wrestlers and a medal contender for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Bajrang Punia, is all set to approach court after being ignored for the highest sporting award — the Khel Ratna.
After Sushil Kumar’s flopshow at the Asian Games, the onus was on Bajrang to save face and the Haryana grappler did it in style, kick-starting India’s gold-medal haul at the quadrennial games by defeating Japan’s Takatani Daichi in the 65kg freestyle final.
“My credentials for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna have been ignored and I cannot tolerate this,” said an angry Bajrang less than a month after he won the Asian Games gold.
He added that he tried contacting Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore all day but got no response.
“I tried calling the sports minister 7-8 times from here (Bengaluru, where he is training) but there was no response. The secretary said that the minister was busy and couldn’t talk. If the sports minister doesn’t give the reason for ignoring me, I will go to court to claim my award,” said Punia, who also won the Commonwealth Games gold in Gold Coast earlier this year.
India cricket captain Virat Kohli and 2017 World Weightlifting Championship gold medallist Mirabai Chanu have been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, which carries a cash prize of ~7.5 lakh, a medallion and a certificate. “Virat and Mirabai getting the award is all fine. I am not complaining why they are getting it. But at least recognise my credentials,” said Bajrang, who also clinched silver at the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon.
“I will wait until tomorrow (Wednesday) to get a response from the minister’s office before going to court,” said Bajrang, who feels the issue is affecting his preparations for the World Championships in Budapest next month.
Bajrang’s coach Yogeshwar Dutt had tweeted in the morning that the credentials of a two-time World Championships medallist cannot be ignored and that his ward has a rightful claim on the award. “He has won six gold, four silver and three bronze, including two World Championships medals, and I feel he should get the Khel Ratna,” wrote Yogeshwar, the 2012 London Olympic Games bronze medallist.
Bajrang had received the Arjuna award in 2015.