Deepa Malik refutes claims after being accused of favouritism over national awards

deepa malik khel ratna

**AISDC writes to PM, accuses Deepa Malik of favouritism**

The All India Sports Council of the Deaf (AISCD) has accused para-athletics star and Khel Ratna awardee Deepa Malik of favouritism while being the member of the National Sports Awards Committee this year. The AISCD did so in a letter — also in possession of First Sportz — addressed to PM Narendra Modi.

The AISCD claimed that the 2016 Paralympic gold and silver medallist was included in the committee despite holding the president post of the Paralympic Committee of India.

“It is very wrong way that any person, who is the Office-bearer or Executive Board Member of any National Sports Federation, can be selected to constitute member or other alike in the National Award Selection Committee,” read the letter sent on August 22.

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Deepa Malik refused the claims saying she was part of the awards committee as Khel Ratna awardee Deepa Malik. The 49-year-old para-athlete asserted that the Paralympic Committee is also yet to be affiliated.

“I wasn’t there as the president of the Paralympic Committee because currently, we are yet to be affiliated. I was there purely as Khel Ratna Deepa Malik,” Deepa told FirstSportz on Monday.

Para-athlete Mariyappan recommended for Khel Ratna

Earlier last week, 2016 Paralympic gold medallist high jumper T Mariyappan was recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Suyash Narayan Jadhav and Sandeep (para-athletics), Manish Narwal (para-shooting) were recommended for the Arjuna Awards.

Among coaches, Vijay Bhalchandra Munishwar (para powerlifting) and Gaurav Khanna (para-badminton) were recommended for the prestigious Dronacharya Award. While the Dhyan Chand Award listed Ranjith Kumar (para-athletics) and Satyaprakash Tiwari (para-badminton).

The AISDC further claimed in the letter that the entire above-mentioned name were probably recommended at Deepa’s discretion. The AISDC’s four nominations were ignored. The body’s nominations were Suravi Ghosh (TT) and Prithvi Sekhar (tennis) for Arjuna; Sonu Anand Sharma (badminton) and athletics coach Satnam Singh for Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya respectively.

“It is crystal clear that Ms. Deepa Malik might have nominated 8 or 9 people through her own federation and might recommended the same IN WHOLE through the Selection Committee to Government.

“Would you think that it is correct for one federation to nominate their people through the same federation and recommend the same in whole through the Selection Committee to the Government? If it is so, what is democracy and where is democracy?,” read the AISDC letter.

Deepa says she wasn’t only member in committee

However, Deepa clarified that she wasn’t the only member in the 12-person awards committee headed by Retired Justice of Supreme Court Justice Mukundakam Sharma.

“Deepa Malik alone doesn’t comprise the awards committee; it is chaired by a session court judge and there are people from media and sports field in it as well. So my vote alone will not count. Deliberation and shortlisting as per the points is duly done by the sports ministry,” she reasoned.

Further denying the claims of being biased towards the deaf community, Deepa claimed she has always given her best for the welfare of the community.

“As far as my favouritism is concerned, I run an NGO who has done a lot to raise the bar of the deaf community. I have nurtured a deaf girl to become a world beauty queen. She went on to become Miss World deaf. In February this year, I also conducted Miss and Mr. India deaf,” explained Deepa.

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