Jyothi Suresh Vennam aims during the final against top seed Andrea Becerra of Mexico in the women’s individual compound final in the Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai. (World Archery)
Days after media reports came that Paris Olympics double bronze medallist Manu Bhaker’s name was not considered by the 12-member committee to decide the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, a thing which Bhaker later said happened due to her mistake in filing the nomination, Indian compound archer Jyothi Suresh Vennam has written to Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, union minister for sports, to consider her for the award. 27-year-old Vennam had achieved the rare feat of having a hat-trick of gold medals in Archery World Cups when she won the gold in the women’s recurve event in the Archery World Cup Stage 1 in Shanghai earlier this year. She had become only the third such woman archer in the world to do so.
“I am V Jyothi Surekha, an Arjuna Awardee in Archery. There has been speculation of names in the news for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024 and I am writing this email in this regard. Sir, I have been representing the Indian Archery Team for the last 14 years and have won 62 medals so far. I have won 3 Gold medals at the Asian Games,2022 and have won a total of 5 Asian Games medals. I have won 8 medals at the World Championships and many at World Games, World Cups etc. I have been ranked World No.2 this year in my category. I have been applying for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for the past few years and despite of having the highest points as per the criteria mentioned in the notification, I couldn’t find my name in the final list,” Vennam wrote in her email to the sports minister.
The Andhra Pradesh archer also won three gold medals in last year’s Hangzhou Asian Games as she became the individual woman compound champion and was also part of the gold medal winning Indian woman team and mixed team. Pointing that she has a total of 132 points for the Khel Ratna award this year for the four-year-period as per the nomination, Vennam contended that she must be in the top list of the athletes if the points are considered for her achievement in the last four years.
“Considering the achievements for four year period (2020-2024), I have a total of 132 points for the awards this year and I am sure, I will be in the top list as per the points considered. This award will not only give a boost to myself but also to the entire archery fraternity as no one from Archery has received the Khel Ratna Award in the past. It is my humble request to you to kindly look into the matter and consider my name for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award looking at my achievements,” wrote Vennam.
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