Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Oct.27: The national sports awards committee on Wednesday selected 11 athletes for India’s highest athletic honour, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Olympic medalists Ravi Dahiya, PR Sreejesh, and Lovlina Borgohai were also mentioned in the list, including Neeraj Chopra, who won a historic gold medal in javelin at the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Mithali Raj, a veteran Indian women’s cricketer, was also nominated for the award, as did Sunil Chhetri, the first Indian footballer to be nominated for India’s highest sporting honour.
India had a memorable year in 2021, with several athletes representing the country at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Khel Ratna Award has also been nominated for Indian paralympian Avani Lekhara, who became the first Indian woman to win two medals at the Paralympics. Sumit Antil, who won gold in the F64 para javelin throw at the 2020 Paralympics, has also been nominated for the Khel Ratna.
In addition, the Arjuna Award has been recommended for 35 Indian athletes.
The following is a list of 11 Indian athletes nominated for the Khel Ratna Award:
- Neeraj Chopra (Athletics)
- Ravi Dahiya (Wrestling)
- PR Sreejesh (Hockey)
- Lovlina Borgohai (Boxing)
- Sunil Chhetri (Football)
- Mithali Raj (Cricket)
- Pramod Bhagat (Badminton)
- Sumit Antil (Javelin)
- Avani Lekhara (Shooting)
- Krishna Nagar (Badminton)
- M Narwal (Shooting)
Following India’s unprecedented showing in hockey at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi renamed India’s top sporting prize, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, after renowned hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.
While the men’s hockey team ended India’s 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey, the women’s hockey team had their best-ever showing at the big event, reaching the semi-finals.
PM Modi stated when mingling with hockey players at his official residence, where he had invited all of the participants following the Olympics, “I congratulate the entire team on their victory. You have shown the greatest respect towards Major Dhyan Chand. And I made the decision because I wanted to honour hockey after being inspired by you.”
“You’ve done a fantastic job. We don’t have the impression that India has won anything in the Olympics unless it wins a medal in hockey,” he added.
