The highest sports awards of Chhattisgarh – Gundadhur Samman and Pravirchandra Bhanjdev Samman – announced by the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare (DSYW) for the year 2019-20 have come under scanner after an international Wushu player from Rajnandgaon district of the state wrote to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel questioning the transparency in the selection process.
“Despite being the most eligible sportsperson for Gundadhur Samman and Pravirchandra Bhanjdev Samman 2019-20, I am sidelined by the selection panel formed by the state government. As per rule, the performance of a player between April 1, 2019 and March 31, 2020 should have been counted for the prestigious award which is given to a sportsperson once in lifetime,” 19-year-old Wushu player Davnam Parth from Mamta Nagar in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh told this newspaper. However, my claim for the award was rejected despite representing India at the 8th Senior World Kungfu Championships in China in the month of June, 2019 and the Department of Sports Chhattisgarh had provided travel allowance for the same. In the 28th Senior National Wushu Championship held in Jammu from December 26 to 31, 2019, Parth bagged Bronze medal in the individual event. Besides, Parth bagged bronze medal in an international championship and bronze in the national championship and several other medals in junior championships. It is to be mentioned, Wushu is an Olympic game.
“I was eligible for both Gundadhur Samman and Pravichandra Bhanjdev Samman, but the selection panel did not consider my name for any of these awards,” said Parth. Parth said that he has written to the Chief Minister urging justice for him and hoped that justice will be done to him. The rules made for the above mentioned awards clearly says that the best sportspersons will be eligible for these awards and he deserves one of the awards, Parth said.
Talking to The Hitavada, Sports and Youth Welfare Minister Umesh Patel said that the award is decided by a committee comprising people from different fields. “If something wrong has happened then I will see to it,” said the Minister speaking to this newspaper.
