Click to play videoNew Delhi: They did India proud at the Olympics, but five months down the line, Sailesh Kumar and Vijendra Singh are now feeling sad at being overlooked for the Padma awards.
They have even found support from fellow Olympic hero Abhinav Bindra who has made it to the Padma Bushan list.
"Yes, I am disappointed to see that their names have been omitted," says Abhinav Bindra.
The controversy over this year's Padma awards goes beyond the sports category. Some feel that Aishwarya Rai got the honour because of the political affiliation of her in laws with the Samajwadi party. But the actress herself is unfazed.
"It's an absolute previlidge and honor and I am very thankful for this and I accept it graciously," says Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
This is not the first time that the national honours have been mired in controversy.
Sitar Maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan rejected the Padma Shri in 1964 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1968, saying the awards committee wasn't competent enough to judge his music.
Historian Romila Thapar turned down the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and 2005 because she wanted to accept awards only from academic institutions.
And Kathak queen Sitara Devi refused the Padma Bhushan in 2002, saying it is an "insult" as younger and lesser known people had got Padma Vibhushan.
Bharat Ratnas too have had their share of controversies. The awards to V V Giri, K Kamaraj, MG Ramachandran and Rajiv Gandhi raised eyebrows.
Even renowned vocalist Pandit Jasraj alleged that the sitar maestro Ravi Shankar had approached influential MPs to secure the coveted award in 1999.
All these controversies have made people question the credibility of these awards.
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