Newmai News Network
New Delhi, Dec 6: Will luck favour MC Mary Kom this time? Will she be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of the country? This is a question which is doing the rounds in sports circles in New Delhi these days ever since the boxer from Manipur won her fourth successive world title.
Many believe that it is an irony that Mary Kom has not been able to get the award so far. They strongly argue that it is a case of utter neglect not only of the Manipuri boxer but also of sportspersons from the north-eastern region as a whole.
Mary Kom herself is upset for not being awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. She minced no words when she spoke to the media after achieving the feat at the 5th AIBA World Championships in China . “How many golds I have to win to get that award,” she questioned. She also narrated the story that how at the insistence of Milkha Shigh her name was dropped at the eleventh hour.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of the country is given to sportspersons who have earned laurels for the country in international events, preferably in an Olympic sport. But there are instances that sportspersons who have excelled in non-Olympic sports have also got the awards. For example, last time the captain of the Indian cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni got the honour for leading Team India to win the Twenty20 world championship. The panel judges one year’s performance to nominate the player for the award.
Notwithstanding winning her fourth gold at the highest level, Mary Kom is not yet certain to get the honour this time as couple of other sportspersons have also done well in the international arena, especially in the Bejing Olympics. Boxer Virender Kumar and wrestler Sushil Kumar are already in the fray for their bronze medal winning performances in the Olympics. Ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh is also in the contention as he is now No. 1 in Asia.
Sensing that Mary Kom’s success at the international level may go unnoticed many former sportspersons have already demanded that if there is more than one outstanding performances in a year, all of them should be awarded Rajiv Khel Ratna. Objections were raised against this proposal from certain quarters. They argued that if the award is given to more than one sportsperson, the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award would reduce itself to just another Arjuna Award. But the detractors have forgotten that both in 1997 and 2003, altogether four sportspersons got the award.
Though there is still some time before deciding the receipients of the award, the sporting faternity has already expressed that all eligible sportpersons should get the honour. What have fueled their anger more is the story of Mary Kom. Unanimously, the sportspersons have decided to put an end to the practice where nepotism and connections matter more that merit.
New Delhi, Dec 6: Will luck favour MC Mary Kom this time? Will she be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of the country? This is a question which is doing the rounds in sports circles in New Delhi these days ever since the boxer from Manipur won her fourth successive world title.
Many believe that it is an irony that Mary Kom has not been able to get the award so far. They strongly argue that it is a case of utter neglect not only of the Manipuri boxer but also of sportspersons from the north-eastern region as a whole.
Mary Kom herself is upset for not being awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. She minced no words when she spoke to the media after achieving the feat at the 5th AIBA World Championships in China . “How many golds I have to win to get that award,” she questioned. She also narrated the story that how at the insistence of Milkha Shigh her name was dropped at the eleventh hour.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of the country is given to sportspersons who have earned laurels for the country in international events, preferably in an Olympic sport. But there are instances that sportspersons who have excelled in non-Olympic sports have also got the awards. For example, last time the captain of the Indian cricket team Mahendra Singh Dhoni got the honour for leading Team India to win the Twenty20 world championship. The panel judges one year’s performance to nominate the player for the award.
Notwithstanding winning her fourth gold at the highest level, Mary Kom is not yet certain to get the honour this time as couple of other sportspersons have also done well in the international arena, especially in the Bejing Olympics. Boxer Virender Kumar and wrestler Sushil Kumar are already in the fray for their bronze medal winning performances in the Olympics. Ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh is also in the contention as he is now No. 1 in Asia.
Sensing that Mary Kom’s success at the international level may go unnoticed many former sportspersons have already demanded that if there is more than one outstanding performances in a year, all of them should be awarded Rajiv Khel Ratna. Objections were raised against this proposal from certain quarters. They argued that if the award is given to more than one sportsperson, the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award would reduce itself to just another Arjuna Award. But the detractors have forgotten that both in 1997 and 2003, altogether four sportspersons got the award.
Though there is still some time before deciding the receipients of the award, the sporting faternity has already expressed that all eligible sportpersons should get the honour. What have fueled their anger more is the story of Mary Kom. Unanimously, the sportspersons have decided to put an end to the practice where nepotism and connections matter more that merit.
No comments:
Post a Comment