NEW DELHI: Manu Bhaker's father Ram Kishan Bhaker launched a scathing attack on the government after his daughter was ignored for this year's Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Shooter Bhaker had won two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics earlier this year.
He expressed regret over encouraging his daughter to pursue a career in sports and advised other parents to steer their children away from Olympic sports. Instead, he suggested focusing on education to help them become IAS or IPS officers, enabling them to have authority over thousands of athletes.
"It is also my fault that I encouraged Manu into sports. To the entire country's parents, I would like to say don't get your kids into sports but if you need money then get them into cricket and if you need power then make them IAS/ IPS or UPSC aspirants," he told PTI
"They are talking about hosting the 2036 Olympics but where are you going to get them from when you discourage them like this. As a parent, I would like to tell other parents not to get their kids into an Olympic sport, get them educated instead when they become IAS/ IPS then they will have command over lakhs of players on who should get the Khel Ratna," he added.
In August, Manu became independent India's first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events.
Manu's coach, Jaspal Rana, has strongly criticised the Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India, and the National Rifle Association of India, accusing them of overlooking his ward's achievements for the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
"I will hold all of them responsible. How can anyone even say Manu did not apply? She made history by becoming the first Indian to win two Olympic medals in the same Olympics. Her name should have been there automatically. Don't the people at the helm know who Manu Bhaker is and what are her credentials? This humiliation might just affect her progress," Rana told PTI Videos in an interview.
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