Wrestler Bajrang Punia nominated for Khel Ratna award, says he deserved it
New Delhi, Aug 16: Asian and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia was on Friday nominated for the country's highest sporting honour the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, a year after he threatened to move court for not getting his due.
His name was finalised by a 12-member selection committee on the opening day of a two-day meeting. The panel comprises the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia and M C Mary Kom among others and is headed by Justice (Retd) Mukundakam Sharma.
"Bajrang has been nominated for the Khel Ratna award. His name was a unanimous choice," a source close to the development said.
The source also said that the panel may add another athlete for the top honours on Saturday besides finalising the names for the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards.
Bajrang had threatened to move court after he was snubbed for the Khel Ratna award last year despite being a gold-medallist in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.
On getting the nod on Friday, Bajrang asserted that he is a deserving candidate of the award.
"My job is to train hard and compete hard. My focus has always been on my performance and not awards. But the recognition does come your way when you do well," Bajrang told PTI from Georgia, where he is training for the World Championships.
"I had the achievements to deserve this award. I have always said that awards should go to the most deserving ones."
Bajrang had last year won the gold medal in the 65-kg freestyle event at the Asian Games held in Jakarta.
He had also won the gold medal in the same category at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Besides, he is a two-time medalist at the world championships and a strong medal hope for India at next year's Tokyo Olympics.
While Bajrang won a bronze in 60kg in 2013 World Championships, he bettered his feat last year by bagging a silver in the 65kg category.
He welcomed the recognition, but Bajrang said he doesn't consider it a motivation ahead of the the World Championships to be held from September 14 to 22 at Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
"My focus has always been on preparing for the big stage but yes, recognition makes you happy. It is certainly a good news weeks before the World Championship," he said.
"I don't need motivation from outside, I am motivated to do well at the World Championships in Kazakhstan. It (award) does not make any difference to my preparations. Putting on quality performance is my focus and it will remain."
Bajrang is only the fourth wrestler to be finalised for the Khel Ratna award after Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sakshi Malik.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour of the country and comprises a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.
It is a part of National Sports Awards bestowed on the occasion of National Sports Day by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
The National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29 every year to commemorate the birthday anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.
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After arriving from Delhi, Shinde heads to his native village; Mahayuti meet likely on Sun
Mumbai(PTI): Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who returned to Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday morning, is travelling to his native village in Satara district amid continuing suspense over his successor a week after the assembly poll results.
Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi on late Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation will be held in Mumbai on Friday.
However, the caretaker CM, who heads the Shiv Sena, is travelling to his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra and the meeting is now expected to take place on Sunday, the sources said.
The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the next chief minister.
Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde's place in the next government to be headed by the BJP, the biggest constituent in the Mahayuti, which posted a thumping win in the just-held assembly polls.
Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years, the sources said.
"The government formation process will start after the BJP announces its legislature party leader," they said.
During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state. His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader.
Talking to reporters in the national capital, Shinde called the discussion “good and positive”.
Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president J P Nadda.
