India’s inspiring show at the Paralympics and Tokyo Olympics has reflected in an unprecedented 11 recommendations for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Indian athletes Neeraj Chopra, Lovlina Borgohain, Ravi Dahiya and Mithali Raj are among those who have been named for the highest honour.
Apart from Khel Ratna Award, the selection committee has also recommended 35 athletes for Arjun Honour, which is eight more than the last year’s pick.
Dronacharya Award, on the other hand, will be awarded to TP Ouseph, Radhakrishna Nair, Sandeep Sangwan among others.
The announcement of the National Sports Awards was delayed by the Selection Committee in order to consider the performances of Para Athletes in the Tokyo Olympics which were held from August 25 to September 5, 2021.
Awards | Recommended athletes |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award | • Neeraj Chopra • Ravi Dahiya • Lovlina Borgohain • PR Sreejesh • Mithali Raj • Sunil Chhetri • Avani Lekhra • Manish Narwal • Sumit Antil • Pramod Bhagat • Krishna Nagar |
| Arjun Award | • Yogesh Kathunia • Praveen Kumar • Nishad Kumar • Suhas Yathiraj • Singhraj Adhana • Bhavina Patel • Harvinder Singh • Sharad Kumar • All Men’s Indian Hockey team (exceptions of PR Sreejesh and Manpreet Singh) • Shikhar Dhawan • Vandana Kataria • Monika • Bhavani Devi • Simranjit Kaur • Sandeep Narwal • Ankita Raina |
| Dronacharya Award | • TP Ouseph • Radhakrishna Nair • Sandeep Sangwan |
Athletes recommended for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
The 23-year old Neeraj Chopra had become the only second Indian to win an individual Olympic Gold Medal in the recently held Tokyo Olympics 2020. Besides Chopra, silver-medal winning wrestler Ravi Dahiya, woman boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who won a bronze have been recommended for the country’s highest sports honour.
Women’s Cricket Team ODI and Test Match Captain Mithali Raj and seasoned Hockey Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been selected with Sunil Chhetri, who is set to become India’s first footballer to receive Khel Ratna Award.
Congratulations Mithali on being conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Really proud of you. This is a major achievement for women's cricket and will take the game to greater heights. @M_Raj03 pic.twitter.com/U5iL6sMrXl
— Jhulan Goswami (@JhulanG10) October 27, 2021
Recommendation for Arjuna Award
35 athletes have been recommended for Arjuna Award. Para table tennis player Bhavina Patel, cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para shuttler Suhas Sathitraj and High Jumper Nishad Kumar are among those who have been selected for the award for their outstanding performances.
Shikhar Dhawan has become the 57th cricketer to be awarded the Arjuna Honour. All the members of the men’s Hockey team, who won the historic Tokyo Olympics bronze medal, have been recommended for recognition. However, it doesn’t include those who have already won the honour.
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award carries a prize of Rs. 25 lakh and a citation, while the Arjun Award winners will receive Rs. 15 lakh each and a citation. Before 2020, the cash prize for Khel Ratna Award was Rs. 7.5 lakh each, while Arjuna Award was Rs. 5 lakh each. |
Renaming of Khel Ratna Award
In August 2021, Prime Minister Modi had announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award has been renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Prime Minister said that the highest sporting honour in India which was named after the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi has been rechristened in the honour of Hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.
He also informed that the decision of renaming the award has been taken on the requests of citizens from all over the country.
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