The Khel Ratna, the highest honour in Indian sports and Arjuna awards, were announced. Now officially known as the ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games’, was announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Games.
11 Indian athletes who were recommended for the award are – Neeraj Chopra( Athletics), Ravi Dahiya(Wrestling), P.R. Sreejesh(Hockey), Lovlina Borgohain(Boxing), Sunil Chettri(Football), Mithali Raj(Cricket), Pramod Bhagat(Badminton), Sumit Antil(Javelin), Avani Lekhara(Shooting), Krishna Nagar(Badminton), M.Narwal(Shooting).
The authorities delayed the announcement of the sports awards in order to consider the Tokyo Paralympics(August 24 to September 5) results. The gold medalists from Paralympics, shooters Avani Lekhara and Manish Nerwal, badminton stars Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar and javelin thrower Sumit Antil made the cut for the Khel Ratna award.
Three of the Olympic medalists- wrestler Bhajrang Punia, badminton player P.V. Sindhu and weightlifter Mirabhai Chanu already received the Khel Ranta.
35 athletes were picked for the Arjuna award as well. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para TT player Bhavina Patel, para badminton player Suhas Yathiraj and high jumper Nishad Kumar are some of the people selected for Arjuna award. The members of the Indian Hockey team, who won the bronze medal will receive the Arjuna award as well.
Sunil Chettri is set to be India’s first footballer to receive the Khel Ratna. Shikhar Dhawan will be the 57th cricketer to be awarded the Arjuna award.
The Khel Ratna award includes a prize money of ₹ 25 lakhs and a citation while the Arjuna award consists of ₹ 15 lakhs and citation. Before 2020, the prize money for Khel Ratna was ₹7.5 lakhs and that of Arjuna award was ₹ 5 lakhs.
It has also been said that the Dronacharya award has been accorded to athletics coaches Radhakrishna Nair and T.P. Ouseph along with hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan, among others.
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