Delhi : Indian cricket’s vice captain Rohit Sharma, Asian gold medalist wrestler Vinesh Phogat, and women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal were among the five phenomenal sports persons chosen for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, while other 29 were also proposed for the Arjuna award by the sports ministry’s selection committee.
Indian table tennis star Manika Batra and Rio Paralympic Games high jump gold medalists Mariyappan Thangavelu were also among those two who were proposed for the country’s greatest sporting honor by a 12-member selection committee.
This is the first time in the history of awards that five athletes have been proposed for the top sporting awards with the final verdict resting on sports minister Kiren Rijiju. In 2016, four athletes — star shuttler P V Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shooter Jitu Rai, and wrestler Sakshi Malik — were altogether rewarded with this award. The 33-year-old Rohit shall be the fourth cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, and the former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni along with current skipper Virat Kohli to be bestowed with the Khel Ratna. Tendulkar was the first Indian cricketer to be prized with this award in the year 1998 later by Dhoni in 2007 and then Kohli in 2018.
Defining it as one of the greatest moments in her career, Vinesh pledged to live up to the prospects linked with the award. “It’s a proud moment for me. It was a long wait but it was worthwhile. If God permits I would live up to the reputation associated with this award,” Vinesh confessed.
The Khel Ratna constitutes a medal, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting award in India. The award is labeled after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India who administered the office from 1984 to 1989. It is rewarded yearly by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award:
Mariyappan Thangavelu (Para-Sports)
Rohit Sharma (cricket)
Vinesh Phogat (wrestling)
Manika Batra (table tennis)
Rani Rampal (hockey)
For the Arjuna, India pacer Ishant Sharma, teen shooting splendors Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker, sprinter Dutee Chand, footballer Sandesh Jhinghan, woman cricketer Deepti Sharma, woman boxer Lovlina Borgohain and Indian luge legend Shiva Keshavan are among those big names that might get shortlisted, an official source informed PTI. The 31-year-old Ishant has played 97 Tests and 80 ODIs for India and took over 400 international wickets.
The Arjuna award comes with a cash prize of Rs 5,00,000, a bronze statue of mythological hero Arjuna and a scroll.
A detailed list of Arjuna Award:
1. Atanu Das (Archery)
2. Shiva Keshavan (Luge)
3. Dutee Chand (Athletics)
4. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (Badminton)
5. Chirag Shetty (Badminton)
6. Vishesh Bhrighuvanshi (Basketball)
7. Ishant Sharma (Cricket)
8. Deepti Sharma (Cricket)
9. Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing)
10. Manish Kaushik (Boxing)
11. Sawant Ajay Anant (Equestrian)
12. Sandhesh Jhingan (Football)
13. Aditi Ashok (Golf)
14. Akashdeep Singh (Hockey)
15. Deepika Thakur (Hockey)
16. Deepak Niwas Hooda (Kabaddi)
17. Sarika Kale (Kho-kho)
18. Suyash Jadhav (Para-Swimming)
19. Manish narwal (Para-Shooting)
20. Sandeep Chaudhary (Para-Athletics)
21. Saurabh Chaudhary (Shooting)
22. Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
23. Sanil Shetty (Table-Tennis)
24. Divij Sharan (Tennis)
25. Divya Kakran (Wrestling)
26. Rahul Aware (Wrestling)
27. Sakshi Malik (Wrestling)
28. Mirabai Chanu (Weightlifting)
29. Dattu Bhokanal (Rowing)
The committee also includes the likeliness of Virender Sehwag and former hockey captain Sardar Singh, meeting at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters here, and confirming the names after considerations that shall take up the first half of the day. Initially, this year’s National Sports Awards ceremony, which is usually held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, is possible to be executed virtually outstanding to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all the conquerors logging in from their respective areas and listen their names being declared on August 29.
August 29 is observed as the National Sports Day to celebrate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand. The National Sports Awards also comprises of the Dronacharya and the Dhyan Chand honors for accomplishments in training. They are recommended every year by the President of India.
