Hockey lovers in the country are in for a rude shock as a reply to a RTI query has disclosed that India has no national game, contrary to popular perception.





Previously, hockey was believed to be the national game.



The query was filed by a class-VII student, Aishwarya Parashar. An earlier query by the girl had revealed that the government does not have any specific document to prove whether Mahatma Gandhi was conferred the “Father of the nation” title.



Aishwarya had sought information on a government order pertaining to India’s national game. She had filed a RTI query with the information officer at the Prime Minister’s Office in May this year.



She had also requested information on India’s national bird, national anthem, national symbol, national flower and national animal. While she received information about the national anthem and national symbol, rest of the queries were referred to the ministries concerned.



The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in its reply a few days back, said the ministry has not declared any sport the national game. The information was sent to Aishwarya by the additional secretary in the Sports Ministry, Shiv Pratap Singh. She is yet to get the replies to other queries.



“It is a bitter truth that the country has no national game,” she told Deccan Herald here.



Aishwarya gained prominence after she used the RTI successfully for the benefit of the people. Earlier, she used the tool to get a garbage dump in front of her school shifted and a library constructed there.