In a record, five sportspersons — cricketer Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table tennis star Manika Batra, hockey captain Rani Rampal and Rio paralympics gold medallist Thangavelu Mariyappan — have been recommended for the nation’s highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. The previous best since the award was instituted in 1985 was four after the Rio Olympics.
Olympic medallist wrestler Sakshi Malik and world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, despite being Khel Ratna winners, had applied for the Arjuna award. The panel has requested the Union Sports Minister to consider their case.
Naresh Kumar in the mix
A dozen names have been put forth for the Dronacharya award, including that of 91-year-old Naresh Kumar, who had won his Arjuna award in 1962. Tennis, till date, doesn’t have a single Dronacharya. Along with Naresh Kumar, the others who figure in this list for the award in the life-time category are Dharmendra Tiwari (archery), Purushottam Rai (athletics), Shiv Singh (boxing), Krishan Kumar Hooda (kabaddi), Vijay Munishwar (para powerlifting) and O.P. Dahiya (wrestling).
Former hockey captain Jude Felix in hockey and star shooter with multiple Asian Games gold medals, Jaspal Rana, were recommended for the Dronacharya award in the regular section.
The Arjuna Awards list has 29 names including cricketer Ishant Sharma, six-time Winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan, athlete Dutee Chand, star shooters Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (basketball), Ajay Anant Sawant (equestrian), Aditi Ashok (golf), Sarika Sudhakar (kho kho), Madhurika Patkar (table tennis), and Rahul Aware and Divya Kakran (wrestling).
Among the 15 recommended for the Dhyan Chand award are Jincy Philips (athletics), Trupti Murgunde (badminton), Lakha Singh (boxing), Ajit Singh (hockey), late Sachin Singh (swimming), Nandan Bal (tennis) and Ranjit Kumar (para athletics).
The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar in different categories will be bestowed on Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), Air Force Sports Board, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Army Sports Institute, Lakshya Institute and International Institute of Sports Management.
Since the awards function is unlikely to be held on August 29, the National Sports Day, the government is expected to announce the full list on that day.
Phogat, Manika, Rani and Mariyappan the other four nominees
