India - Awards at last, but have some Ekalavyas lost out?
BANGALORE: A person,whose name does not figure in the nominees' list, figures among the Ekalavya awardees. After a lapse of three years, the Karnataka government finally announced the Ekalavya awards — the highest sports awards given to
From: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
View source article here.
By Manuja Veerappa
BANGALORE: A person,whose name does not figure in the nominees' list, figures among the Ekalavya awardees. After a lapse of three years, the Karnataka government finally announced the Ekalavya awards — the highest sports awards given to Karnataka sportspersons.
But have the deserving sportsmen got their due? The selection process — in fact, the composition of the selection committee itself — raises several questions.
For starters, the selection committee comprised three sportspersons and six government and sports administrators. Among the six, three are office-bearers of various sports associations.
Alkod Hanumanthappa, minister for youth services and sports and also chairman of the awards committee, had only this to say: "I am not aware of this. The committee was appointed before I took over as sports minister.
We will make amends the next time." But the most baffling aspect is that the committee decided on the awardees in two hours flat. Justifying this, Hanumanthappa said: "The athletes were shortlisted by our officials and they had awarded marks based on their performance at the national and international levels."
The documents available with The Times of India show how some achievers didn't make it to the list while those who got less selection points made it.
Sample this: Sonam Deep Kaur who garnered mere 20 marks figures in the list of awardees for 2004. Her achievement: participated in the 17th FIBA Asia Basketball Championship for juniors held in Shenzhen City, China.
Against her national achievements, the remark reads: junior certificate and Youth National certificate not considered.
Deepali A, who also figures among the nominees in basketball, has five more points than Sonam. Same holds good in powerlifting where a person who is ranked fourth has been given the award.
Basketballer Basavaraj N Murgod's name has been struck off the 2002 list but he gets the award for the 2003 without being shortlisted!