New Delhi: An unprecedented 11 athletes were recommended for the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour on Wednesday, including javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who became only the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal in the Tokyo Games, and silver medal-winning wrestler Ravi Dahiya.
The selection committee also selected boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, veteran hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, and woman cricket Test skipper Mithali Raj for the Khel Ratna honour. While Sunil Chhetri, became the country’s first footballer to be chosen for the honour.
The list of those suggested for the Khel Ratna also included shooters Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, javelin thrower Sumit Antil, and shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, all of whom won gold in the Tokyo Paralympics.
Last year, five athletes were picked for the award while four were selected after the 2016 Rio Games.
The national sports awards were postponed in order to examine the performance of para-athletes at the Tokyo Paralympics (August 24 to September 5). The committee also chose 35 athletes for the Arjuna award, which is eight more than the previous year’s total.
Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para TT player Bhavina Patel, para shuttler Suhas Yathiraj and high jumper Nishad Kumar are among those selected for the Arjuna award.
The Arjuna award will also be given to members of the men’s hockey team who won bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.
