Sports Department To HC: Madhusudan’s Claim Rejected As Time-Barred Vikram Award Row

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Sports Department has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court that mountaineer Madhusudan Patidar’s application for the Vikram Award was time-barred, as his achievement — summiting Mt. Everest in 2017 — fell outside the five-year eligibility criteria.

Under departmental rules, sportspersons must apply for the Vikram Award based on achievements within the past five years. “Had he applied for the 2022 award, it could have been considered,” an official said.

On August 5, Justice Pranay Verma of the Indore bench granted a temporary stay on the conferment of the 2023 Vikram Award in the adventure sports category to Bhavna Dehariya, hours before she was to receive it at the Shikhar Khel Alankaran ceremony held at Ravindra Convention Centre.

Patidar had filed a petition challenging Dehariya’s selection. Separately, another mountaineer, Megha Parmar, has also moved the High Court seeking inclusion of her name in the 2023 award list. Despite the legal tussle, 11 athletes were honoured with Vikram Awards at the event.

When contacted, Bhavna told Free Press that she would not like to comment, stating: “We will accept whatever the court decides.”