Noted billiards and snooker player Pankaj Advani and badminton player Jwala Gutta are quite bitter after being snubbed for the Padma awards once again. They have taken to social media to vent to their anger, and Advani has even replied to a Union minister in this regard, putting in a bit of a snub of his own!
Also read: Padma Awards 2017: Yesudas, Sharad Pawar, Kohli, Kailash Kher to be honoured; full list
Pankaj Advani snubbed for Padma Bhushan
Advani recently won the National Billiards Championship — his 28th national title — and wrote about it on Twitter, besides posting his photo with the trophy. Union Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs (Independent Charge) Vijay Goel congratulated him on the win, saying: "Winning is synonymous to you.[sic]"
Advani, who has already won the Padma Shri, shot back on the micro-blogging platform: "Thank you sir. Just feel after 16 world titles and 2 Asian games golds if I'm ignored for a padma bhushan, don't know what more I need to do [sic]."
He later clarified, in reply to a response from a fan, that the due process for him to be recommended for the award had been carried out. He said on Twitter: "Sports Minister of Karnataka called months ago to tell me that my name was recommended by State! Just FYI [sic]."
Jwala Gutta fumes at snub
Badminton player Jwala Gutta was equally incensed at her snub, which she said was the third time in a row. She took to Facebook to put up a post on the issue, claiming that she was snubbed for the Padma Shri because she was "outspoken" and "opinionated."
She wrote in the post: "I'm 15 times National champion and I am also the first Indian to qualify for two events in Olympics in Indian history, I'm the first Indian to win a medal after Prakash Padukone sir in world championships and so many other firsts.. I have laid path for doubles in Badminton for our country when nobody took it seriously..but it's simply isn't enough [sic]."
She later told ANI: "I was expecting to be acknowledged, nothing else. This was the third time I applied. I feel I have been let down." She added: "I was world number 6 in mixed doubles and world number 10 in women's doubles, but still didn't get it. It is a little hurtful."
