Madhya Pradesh High Court Grants Stay on Vikram Award Ceremony for Adventure Sports

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has issued an interim stay on the Vikram Award for adventure sports, following a petition from Megha Parmar. The next hearing is scheduled for January 5, as Parmar claims her achievement of hoisting the tricolour on Mount Everest precedes that of Bhawna Dehariya.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has temporarily halted the presentation of the Vikram Award for adventure sports to Bhawna Dehariya. This decision will remain until a petition by another mountaineer, Megha Parmar, is resolved. The court's interim order came after an appeal was filed by Madhusudan Patidar, another mountaineer, who is also vying for the state's top sports award for 2023.

Justice Vishal Mishra from the Jabalpur bench issued the stay and set the next hearing for January 5. Parmar, who resides in Sehore, stated she does not oppose Dehariya's selection but emphasised her own achievement. She was the first to hoist the Indian flag on Mount Everest on May 22, 2019, reaching the summit at 5 am, five hours before Dehariya.

Mountaineers' Achievements and Claims

Parmar's petition highlights her early ascent of Mount Everest compared to Dehariya. She argues that this accomplishment entitles her to the Vikram Award. The petition notes that Parmar reached the peak at 5 am, while Dehariya arrived at 9:45 am. This timing difference forms a crucial part of her claim for the award.

In a previous hearing, Parmar argued that rules for the 2022 Vikram Award were relaxed. This allowed two male athletes, Bhagwan Singh and Ratnesh Pandey, to be recognised despite a one-hour gap in their Everest ascents in 2016. Parmar contends this precedent supports awarding more than one athlete per year.

Legal Arguments and Court's Decision

Senior advocate Vivek Krishna Tankha represented Parmar via video conferencing. He argued that Parmar is a rightful candidate for the award and it should not be awarded to anyone else until her petition is resolved. The court agreed with this argument and instructed authorities not to hold the award ceremony until further notice.

This case represents Megha Parmar's last chance to receive the Vikram Award under the current nomination process. The court's decision reflects its consideration of both procedural fairness and individual achievements in adventure sports.

The court's ruling underscores the importance of fair recognition in sports awards. It highlights how procedural changes can impact athletes' chances of receiving honours. As this legal process unfolds, it remains to be seen how these claims will be resolved in future hearings.

With inputs from PTI