Guwahati: Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, Bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain and Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri are among 11 athletes picked for the Khel Ratna award this year.
The other sportspersons who have been recommended for India’s highest sporting honour, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, include silver medal-winning wrestler Ravi Dahiya, cricketer Mithali Raj, hockey player PR Sreejesh. Shooter Avani Lekhara is among five para-athletes to get the award as well.
Thirty-five athletes will also be honoured with the ArjunaAward, including all the members of the Olympic bronze-winning men’s hockey team who have previously not won the award, and all Paralympic medallists, other than the Khel Ratna awardees. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan is one among the 35 selected for the Arjuna award.
Previously known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently renamed India’s highest sporting honour after legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand following India’s record show in hockey at Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Here’s a list of all sportsperson recommended for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards 2021:
Neeraj Chopra (Athletics)Ravi Dahiya (Wrestling)PR Sreejesh (Hockey)Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing)Sunil Chhetri (Football)Mithali Raj (Cricket)Pramod Bhagat (Badminton)Sumit Antil (Javelin)Avani Lekhara (Shooting)Krishna Nagar (Badminton)Manish Narwal (Shooting)
