NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has provided a fresh ray of hope to two-time Paralympics medallist Yogesh Kathuniya. The court directed the sports ministry to reconsider Kathuniya's application for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
A single judge bench of Justice Sachin Datta ordered the ministry's 12-member selection committee to conduct a fresh scrutiny of Kathuniya's application and take appropriate steps to confer the Khel Ratna on him, in accordance with the provisions laid down in the scheme of awards. The national sports day awards ceremony is scheduled for Friday at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
According to ministry sources, Kathuniya's candidature for the country's highest sporting honour will be discussed by the committee as directed by the court and, if found suitable, he will be awarded the Khel Ratna.
Paris Olympics' double bronze medallist shooter Ma nu Bhaker, reigning world chess champion D Gukesh, men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, and Paris Paralympics gold winner in the men's high jump T64 class, Praveen Kumar, will receive the Khel Ratna for the year 2024. A total of 32 other sportspersons will be honoured with the Arjuna award.
Kathuniya, through his lawyer Nitin Yadav, contended that he deserved the Khel Ratna since he tallied the highest marks among applicants who applied for the award and that the committee overlooked his achievements. The 27-yearold won a silver in the men's discus throw at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, for which he was awarded the Arjuna the same year. In Paris, he repeated the feat by securing another silver in the same event. In his petition, Kathuniya argued,
"It is noteworthy that the petitioner, despite being the highest marks scorer for the awards in accordance with the scheme, has not been conferred with the award in the most unjust and arbitrary manner."
In a related development, Paralympics gold medallist Dharambir Nain has written to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya and secretary Sujata Chaturvedi, endorsing coach Amit Saroha's application for the Dronacharya award. Along with Dharambir, a three-time Paralympian, Hangzhou para Asian Games and para World Championships medallists Ekta Bhyan, Honey and Rohit Hooda have also urged the ministry to reconsider Saroha's name for the Dronacharya.
The awards selection committee originally recommended four-time Paralympian Saroha for the award.