What else I need to do for the award: Sushil

New Delhi, January 27
Two-time Olympics medallist Sushil Kumar is upset with the government’s decision to ignore his claim for the Padma Bhushan and confer the award on Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal. Kumar, who was expecting the award this time after his application was not considered last year, said the announcement has come as a “rude shock” for him.
“I don’t know what else I need to do to get the Padma Bhushan. I don’t understand where my credentials are lacking. I was expecting the award this year,” Kumar told The Tribune. Though the wrestler congratulated both Mirza and Nehwal, he felt the government should have considered him, too, for the country’s third highest civilian honour.
Perhaps his long absence from action since his Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medal due to injures played a part in the authorities ignoring his application yet again. Mirza and Nehwal, on the other hand, had a terrific run last year.
It has been learnt that the 32-year-old Haryana grappler is particularly miffed with Nehwal getting the nod for the prestigious award. Both Kumar and Nehwal had applied for the award last year. The badminton player had criticised the Sports Ministry after her application was rejected in favour of Kumar. Her name was later forwarded to the Home Ministry as a ‘special case’. The Home Ministry, while rejecting her application, had argued that she had yet to complete the mandatory five-year gap between the two Padma awards.
Later, in a complete turnaround, the Ministry rejected Kumar’s application, too, and gave the award to his father-in-law and renowned coach Satpal Singh.
Though disappointed, Kumar said he wouldn’t let this setback affect his Rio Olympics preparations. “I am preparing hard to win the gold at Rio, that’s best way to answer my critics,” he said.