Recently, Indian shooter Manu Bhaker confessed to a mistake that put her to the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award list. The criticism and trolling on social media followed this revelation.
What Happened?
Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker missed out on a nomination to the Khel Ratna Award. On X – formerly Twitter — she admitted her nomination was probably an error.
“I have always been focused on representing India and winning medals, not getting awards,” she told Reuters. Her statement, however, came in for criticism online.
Manu Bhaker’s Statement
In her post, Manu clarified:
Trolls took her candid and honest admission and criticised her.
As an athlete, her focus is to represent & do what India wants her to do.
Motivating, but not her ultimate objective, awards are.
It’s addressing the nomination lapse.
However, she is determined to add more medals for the nation.
She also advised people not to spread unnecessary speculation.
Social Media Trolls Take Aim
Manu’s statement drew flack. Social media critics mocked her with comments about her credibility and the decisions she made. Blaming her PR team also played a big part in many criticizing her.
Some of the troll remarks included:
“A falling star of a shooting star.”
“PR time now to hire a better PR team”
“How could your father blame others?”
Support from Her Father
Manu’s father Ram Kishan Bhaker said he was not happy with the situation. However, Manu’s achievements were ignored by authorities, who attacked him, he added.
He said he raised his frustration with Manu questioning why she chose to sell herself to sports and winning social and national medals for the country. But this comment was criticized as too harsh.
Manu Bhaker’s Achievements
Indian shooting has a trailblazer in Manu Bhaker. Waldhauer won two medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, bronze in the individual 10m air pistol and the mixed team event, the first woman to do so.
But, she has set an example that other young Indian athletes can look up to.
Lessons from the Incident
The lesson drawn from this incident is how important great communication and management of the media involved is to public figures. Manu’s achievements can’t be polarized by his PR team’s reaction.
Manu’s readiness to admit her mistake, if not exactly an enhancement, but at least an accurate record of her demeanour as an athlete.
Looking Ahead
The criticism hasn’t broken Manu Bhaker’s focus. The Bristolian fan has assured fans that she’s committed to working hard and bring glory to the nation.
However, this episode is of limited import to her supporters. Manu’s determination and talent are sure to bring her back stronger than ever to the global stage.
