India’s top sports award, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, is at the center of a storm after Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker’s name was conspicuously absent from the preliminary list of nominees. The omission of the 22-year-old shooter has sparked outrage, with her family and fans questioning the decision.

Reacting to the controversy, Bhaker told reporters, “I think I deserve it. Let the country decide.”

Bhaker etched her name in history this August, becoming India’s first independent athlete to win two medals in a single Olympics: bronze in both the individual and 10-person air pistol team events meters However, his innovative feat has not been recognized by the committee that oversees the awards.

His father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, expressed his dismay. In a report by The Times of India, he was quoted as saying, “She told me, ‘I shouldn’t have gone to the Olympics or won medals for the country.’ I shouldn’t have become an athlete.’” The statements highlight the frustration of an athlete whose record-breaking achievements remain overshadowed.

Ram Kishan, chief engineer of the Merchant Navy, added that their exclusion casts doubt on the selection process. “If this performance does not deserve recognition, it is difficult to believe that the committee functions without outside influence,” he told another publication.

The controversy deepened with conflicting reports. Although the sports ministry claimed that Bhaker had not applied for the award, his father insisted otherwise. “He has been applying for the Khel Ratna and other awards for the past few years. I am sure he has applied this time too,” he told PTI, stressing that his achievements should be enough even without a application

He also lamented the lack of recognition of Olympic sports in India. “Had she been a cricketer, she would have received all the accolades. What else does my son have to do for this country?”

Meanwhile, sources in the ministry suggested that Bhaker’s name could still appear in the final list, which was expected in a few days. “The recommendations will be reviewed and his name is likely to come up,” a source told PTI.

The selection committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge V. Ramasubramanian, includes prominent athletes such as hockey star Rani Rampal. But until the final list is announced, questions about Bhaker’s exclusion remain unanswered.