Three cheers for our sports heroes, but...

All recipients of 2024 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards from the president today - Gukesh D (chess), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), Praveen Kumar (para-athletics) and Manu Bhaker (shooting) - more than deserve our rousing applause. Which is why the 'niggle' leading up to Bhaker's selection leaves a bad taste in the mouth. The Paris Olympics double-medallist was initially left out of the list, triggering major criticism. A few days later, Bhaker's name was added after the sports minister's intervention. Even after the 'correction', Bhaker's explanation of her being overlooked being due to a 'lapse' on her part while submitting her nomination raises unsettling questions about the whole process.

The awards system allows athletes to self-nominate, ensuring they're not wholly dependent on federations. But the selection committee also has discretionary powers to include deserving names. Given Bhaker's fabulous achievement in Paris, one expected the shooting federation and the awards panel to ensure her nomination was handled seamlessly. This isn't the first time such 'lapses' have occurred. Cricketer Mohammed Shami faced a similar predicament with the Arjuna Award - until BCCI stepped in.

World Chess champion Gukesh - whose splendid victory in Singapore in December fell outside the stipulated 4-yr awards cycle - made the Khel Ratna list despite not applying or being nominated by the All India Chess Federation. This shows inconsistencies in the system. Despite a 2014 revamp meant to streamline and bring transparency to the Khel awards, cases like Bhaker's reveal lingering flaws. In a country that needs more sporting heroes, such controversies are demoralising. The awards process must be transparent, and free of such blunders.