After Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat To Return Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Writes To PM Modi

In another big blow, India’s top wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced that she will return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards amid protests over Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Her announcement came after she posted an open letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

The move comes less than a week after Sakshee Malikkh announced her retirement from wrestling and Bajrang Punia gave back his Padma Shri. 

मैं अपना मेजर ध्यानचंद खेल रत्न और अर्जुन अवार्ड वापस कर रही हूँ।

इस हालत में पहुँचाने के लिए ताकतवर का बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद  pic.twitter.com/KlhJzDPu9D
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 26, 2023

BJP MP Brij Bhusan and the former chief of WFI has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women wrestlers. Notably, Phogat, Malikkh and Punia have been at the forefront of the protests against Bhushan.

Phogat was awarded the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sports honours, in 2016 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020. 

The latest announcement is part of a string of symbolic protests against Bhushan and subsequently against the appointment of his ally Sanjay Singh. He, however, was removed from the post by the Sports Ministry. 

In her letter, Phogat wrote, “Prime Minister, I am Vinesh Phogat, a daughter of your house and I am writing this letter to you to tell you about the condition I have been in for the past year.”

“I remember the year 2016, when Sakshi Malik won a medal in the Olympics, your government named her the brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’. When this was announced, all the women players of the country were happy and were sending congratulatory messages to each other,” she added. 

She urged PM Modi to listen to Bhushan’s comment where he admitted on live television that he had made women wrestlers feel uncomfortable.