Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, who became the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold at the Tokyo Games, and silver medalist wrestler Ravi Dahiya along with nine others were recommended for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour. .
Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist boxer Lovlina Borgohain, hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and women’s cricket Test captain Mithali Raj were also recommended for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. Sunil Chhetri became the first footballer to be selected for this honour.
Shooters Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, javelin throwers Sumit Antil, and shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, who all won Paralympic gold medals, round out the list of people recommended for the Khel Ratna.
The committee also shortlisted 35 athletes for the Arjuna Award, eight more than last year’s number. The selected players include cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para TT player Bhavna Patel, para shuttler Suhas Yathiraj and high jumper Nishad Kumar.
All members of the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist men’s hockey team have also been recommended.
Women’s hockey team members Vandana Katariya and Monica, fencer Bhavani Devi, boxer Simranjit Kaur, wrestler Deepak Punia, shooter Abhishek Verma, kabaddi player Sandeep Narwal and women’s tennis player Ankita Raina are among those recommended.
The Dronacharya award has been given to athletics coaches Radhakrishna Nair and TP Ousef and hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan among others.
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