Ministry in a fix over Girisha’s Khel Ratna plea !!

Is our State Government inefficient in obtaining justice for  state players ? who plays for the Country 

The sports ministry is in a fix over whether to award the highest sporting honour — the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna — to para-athlete, long jumper, HN Girisha, who bagged silver in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

As per convention, the athlete should be an Arjuna Award recipient

before he can be conferred the highest sporting honour. But Girisha has applied for the top award without having been conferred the Arjuna, thus putting the ministry in a fix.

Technicalities

Girisha had won the medal last year after August 29, the day the President confers the awards to meritorious athletes on National Sports Day, so his performance could not be considered. Had he won the medal before August 29, 2012 the ministry could have made an exception and conferred the Arjuna on him last year and the Khel Ratna this year.

The ministry is now contemplating giving the Arjuna to Girisha this year and the Khel Ratna next year.

Not that the ministry has not made exceptions in the past. Shooter Vijay Kumar and grappler Yogeshwar Dutt received the Khel Ratna last year without applying for it, as the then sports minister, Ajay Maken, immediately recognised their medal-winning performances at the 2012 London Olympics.

The minister could make an exception only because the duo had won the medals before August 29. 2012 and they had also been conferred the Arjuna awards in previous years.

A one-time exception, though, has been made for India cricket team skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who received the Khel Ratna without being getting the Arjuna.

“The criterion for Khel Ratna is the performance of the last one year, so on the basis of that, I have applied for it,” said Girisha, who got Padma Shri this year in January

The Championships will see more than 1,100 athletes from 99 countries in action, competing in 207 medal events.

 Paralympic medallist Girisha still waiting for 'promised' government job

Girisha, who is training for the World Championships to be held in France in July this year, said he will be coming to the capital on April 20 to receive his Padamshri award.

He gave India its first medal at the Paralympic Games after finishing second in the Men's High Jump event yet his silver-winning effort could not land him a job with the Sports Authority of India as promised by the former Sports Minister, Ajay Maken.

 The sole breadwinner of his family, Girisha, who has an impairment in his left leg, was honoured with Rs 30 lakh cash award for his medal-winning feat but what he did not get was a Class-I officer job with the SAI despite writing several letters to the sports body.

"Last year, then sports minister Ajay Maken had promised Class-I officer job with SAI to all Olympic and Paralympic medal winners. I was also hopeful to get this job as I am the sole breadwinner of my family. I had applied for the job six months back but yet to hear from the Sports Ministry or SAI," Girisha told PTI.

 "I even met the new Sports Minister, Jitendra Singh and senior SAI officials but did not get any specific assurances from them. The officials said everything is under process and it will still take some time. I don't know how long will it take to get a job. Almost all the Olympians have secured jobs but we are still waiting for it," said the athlete from Hassan, Karnataka, who sailed over a height of 1.74m in the Men's High Jump F42 event to finish second.

 Girisha, who is training for the World Championships to be held in France in July this year, said he will be coming to the capital on April 20 to receive his Padamshri award.

 "It's not possible for me to leave training and visit Delhi frequently. I will be in Delhi to receive the Padamshri award and will try to meet the sports minister either on April 18 or 19," he said.

 "I need a job to run my family. My father is a farmer but we don't have enough land to survive on it. My family has already spent a fortune on my training prior to the Paralympic Games. My younger brother is still studying, so I am the sole breadwinner of my family," added Girisha.