New Delhi: Olympic bronze medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar and pugilist Vijender Singh have expressed disappointment for being ignored for the prestigious Padma awards.
"My coach Ramphal Maan is being considered for the Padma awards. But it is shocking not to find our names in the final list. The government is ignoring the Olmypics medal winners," Sushil told television channel Live India.
Sushil's coach Maan said that although the names of the two Olympians were considered but perhaps it was changed at the last moment.
"I don't know what happened when the final list was prepared. But yes, I got the call from the Ministry of Sports that their names are being considered for these prestigious awards," he said.
Equally disappointed was Vijender for being ignored for the prestigious award.
"My dreams are shattered," he said.
Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who clinched India's first individual Olympic gold medal in Beijing last year, was awarded Padma Bhushan.
Cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh, too, are in the list of Padma Shri awards, which has not gone well with the wrestling and boxing fraternity.
"Cricketers are given all the awards. What have they done this year to deserve the award? Even the world body of boxing has recognised India as upcoming power in the sport and it is a shame that we are treated in this manner at home," a boxing official, declining to be named was quoted by IANS as saying.
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