26 January,2017 05:49 PM IST | | mid-day online correspondent
16-time world champion cueist Pankaj Advani is hurt and angry, but he's still proving to be class personified. Despite missing out on a Padma Bhushan award, the cueist maintains dignity with his response to sports minister Vijay Goel and trolls
Pankaj Advani has the 'perfect' response to trolls over Padma award snub
16-time world champion cueist Pankaj Advani is hurt after being overlooked for the prestigious Padma Bhushan award for the second year in a row. But barely has he had time to get to terms with the pain and hurt that he's had to deal with trolls on social media.
Following the Padma award snub, Advani wondered what he needs to do to receive the coveted civilian honour.
Advani, who has pocketed eight world titles in the last eight years, was recommended for the third highest civilian award of the country by the Karnataka government as well as the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI).
The Bengaluru-based Advani, one of India's greatest cueists, did not say much after being overlooked for the award yet again, but while replying to Sports Minister Vijay Goel expressed his hurt feelings on social media.
"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," Advani tweeted in his response to Sports Minister Vijay Goel, who congratulated him for winning a staggering 28th national title in Pune earlier this week.
But this some people on Twitter to question him. They wondered why he was asking for the award since the sports body and state government has to recommend a person for the honour. Another attacked the 31-year-old cueist for 'begging' for the award.
Instead of getting riled by these attacks, Advani was class personified and responded calmly and with dignity.
He was first 'told' that the state government and sports bodies need to recommend a person.
He responded with the info that the Sports Minister of Karnataka had recommended his name months ago.
He then got attacked by a troll for his 'wrong attitude' and asked not to 'beg'.
But even this didn't perturb him. He responded with:
No sportsperson was chosen for Padma Bhushan this year while eight athletes from various disciplines, including Virat Kohli and Dipa Karmakar, were honoured with Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour which Advani received way back in 2009.
Advani has also been awarded with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2006), India's highest sporting honour.
BSFI secretary S Balasubramaniam could not think of any current sportsperson more deserving than Advani for the Padma Bhushan.
"It is very sad to hear that he has been ignored again. It is happening year after year. It is disheartening not only for him but for the entire fraternity. Looks like lobbying is what works (to get these awards). If you go by sheer performance, Pankaj should have got it long ago. Tell me a sportsperson who consistently win world titles like Pankaj. However, we will try again next year," Balasubramaniam told a news agency today.
Advani's brother Shree too did not hide his disappointment.
"This shows the government's tunnel vision towards cricket and Olympic sports. Apparently, you can only get the awards by lobbying or if hype is created, merit is not enough. Pankaj deserves a lot more than Padma Bhushan," he said.
(With Agency Inputs)
