How many more titles do I have to win for Khel Ratna?
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports. The award was instituted in the year 1991-92 to supply the lack of a supreme national accolade in the field of sports.
The following Indian sportsmen have been honoured with the Khel Ratna till date:
Viswanathan Anand (Chess), Geet Sethi (Billiards), Cdr. Homi D. Motivala and Lt. Cdr. P. K. Garg (Yachting Team Event), Karnam Malleswari (Weightlifting), Leander Paes (Tennis), Nameirakpam Kunjarani (Weightlifting), Sachin Tendulkar (Cricket), Jyotirmoyee Sikdar (Athletics), Dhanraj Pillay (Hockey), Pullela Gopichand (Badminton), Abhinav Bindra (Shooting), Anjali Ved Pathak Bhagwat (Shooting), K. M. Beenamol (Athletics), Anju Bobby George (Athletics), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Shooting), Pankaj Advani (Billiards & Snooker), Manavjit Singh Sandhu (Shooting), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Cricket)
Without taking anything away from each of these athletes, just compare their achievements to those of four-time World Champion, and the world’s most successful women boxer ever, M C Mary Kom, from Manipur. And let’s listen to what she has to say:
I have won the World Championship four times on the trot. (Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh) Dhoni gets a Khel Ratna for winning just one World Cup, I fail to understand why am I being ignored then. How can anybody expect an athlete to stay motivated if he or she is ignored like that?
Last year, when my name was recommended by the federation, I had been shortlisted along with Dhoni but (Arjuna awards selection committee chairman) Milkha Singh struck off my name saying that he did not know, which sport I competed in. That hurt me terribly.
I want to ask him today, how many more titles do I have to win for him and for the country to believe that I deserve the honour?
Don’t give me the award if you think I am not worthy but please don’t insult me with statements like that. It angers me. People should be encouraging but they are not and I have accepted it as part of life.
We just hope that the powers-to-be are listening and ask themselves a few questions.
Update (December 2, 2008): (from The Hindu)
Sports Minister MS Gill on Tuesday said he would ensure that the Manipuri boxer gets justice this time. Gill called Mary Kom to his residence on Tuesday and assured her that her achievements would not go unnoticed. “She has done outstandingly well and I took note of her achievements. But there is a system for these awards and as a Minister, my job is to ensure that justice is done. I’ll look into it and ensure that her case is argued and she is considered,” he told PTI.
Gill has even asked his officials to get an action photo of Mary Kom to be put on display in his cabinet gallery. A delighted Mary Kom said the meeting has brightened her Christmas this year. “For once it is a Happy Christmas,” she giggled.
Update (December 3, 2008): (from The Times of India)
In her meeting with MS Gill, Mary Kom had complained about the poor training facilities in Sports Authority of India’s Hissar centre. Mr. Gill has sought a report from SAI director general Sayan Chatterjee on how to make things better in the camps.
