Suspense over weightlifter Chanu’s Arjuna Award continues

New Delhi : Glasgow Commonwealth Games gold medallist, weightlifter Sanjita Chanu’s wait for the Arjuna Award has just got extended. Sports Minister Vijay Goel has apparently refused to accept her recommendation for the award at the moment. The minister it’s been learnt has demanded more time to revisit the entire list of recommended names for the Arjuna Awards and has delayed the signing of the file.
A meeting between Goel and sports secretary Injeti Srinivas this week is expected to bring finality to the issue on whether or not Chanu would be nominated for the country’s second highest sporting honour. An earlier meeting between Goel and top ministry officials on Monday had remained inconclusive. At the meeting, Goel was to put his final stamp of approval on the names of athletes recommended for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.
Goel, however, chose to deliberate further on the names. Chanu’s name wasn’t there in the original list of 17 sportspersons recommended for the Arjuna Awards. But, Srinivas included her name in the list, using his executive powers since a secretary can recommend the name of a meritorious athlete. It’s been learnt that Srinivas had held a discussion with the awards selection committee chairman, Justice (retd) C K Thakkar, in this direction and found Chanu’s case deserving.