Hockey star Hardik Singh lone recommendation for Khel Ratna; Divya, TJ & Mehuli for Arjuna
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award to badminton stars Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
Praveen Kumar expressed his sentiments without naming anyone, saying he would have been happier if other Paris Paralympics medallists had also been honored.
Shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics while Gukesh was crowned the World Chess Champion in Singapore, last month.
Manu Bhaker has been shockingly ignored for this year's Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, a top sports ministry source has asserted
Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh said the honour is a recognition of his "fascinating" journey in which he still has plenty more to achieve.
Sharath is the lone Khel Ratna award recipient, 25 sportspersons, including shuttlers Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, woman boxer Nikhat Zareen, track and field athletes Eldhose Paul and Avinash Sable, were conferred with the Arjuna Award.
Manu Bhaker on Tuesday admitted that "there has been a lapse may be on my part" while filing nominations
The prestigious award carries a prize money of Rs 25 lakh.
India's badminton ace Saina Nehwal will be conferred the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest sports honour.
Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was on Saturday recommended for the coveted Khel Ratna Award by the committee constituted by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) for the third time in a row. The 22-year-old Chopra is the only track and field athlete to be recommended by the AFI for the country's highest sports award this year.
Paralympic gold-winners Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar, Manish Narwal were also given the Khel Ratna at a dazzling awards ceremony on Saturday.
While Sharath is the lone Khel Ratna award recipient, a total of 25 athletes including shuttlers Lakshya Sen, HS Prannoy, woman boxer Nikhat Zareen, athletes Eldhose Paul, Avinash Sable have been nominated for the Arjuna Award this year.
The BCCI has also recommended Yuvraj Singh and former women's captain Anjum Chopra for Arjuna awards.
The 21-year-old cueist won the World billiards championship in 2005 and World snooker title in 2003.
In an unusual move, ace weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has been nominated for the Arjuna award by the national federation though the former World champion is already a recipient of Khel Ratna, country's highest sporting honour. The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) has nominated Chanu along with Ragala Venkat Rahul and Punam Yadav.
AIFF President Praful Patel congratulated Chhetri on being conferred with the Khel Ratna.
Beenamol edged out ace shooter Anjali Bhagwat who was initially in the running.
The BCCI has also put forward the names of Irfan Pathan and Yuvraj Singh for the Arjuna Award.
Days after announcing her decision to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna award to the Prime Minister, star wrestler Vinesh Phogat left her awards on the pavement of the Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Saturday clarified the Punjab government's decision to withdraw his nomination for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award as he doesn't fit in the eligibility criteria for country's highest sporting honour.
Olympic heroes, shooter Vijay Kumar and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt were jointly recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest sporting honour.
The Rajiv Khel Ratna, India's highest sports honour, will not be shared in future, except in the case of Olympic medal winners, the Sports Ministry said on Wednesday.
An unprecedented 11 athletes were selected for the country's highest sporting honour.
Sports Ministry confirms Satwik, Chirag for Khel Ratna, Shami and 25 others for Arjuna award
World No 1 Bajrang has recently stamped his authority at the Asian Championship in Xi'an, China by clinching a gold medal in the men's 65kg freestyle event.
Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award from Sports Minister M S Gill after missing out on the August 29 ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan due to the World Championships in Paris.
Olympic bronze medal-winning wrestler Sakshi Malik is all set to be conferred with the country's highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
The Government of India has hiked the prize-money for its annual sporting honours, including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna award. The Khel Ratna recipient will now receive Rs 750,000, Rs 250,000 more than previously awarded.
Fifteen other top sportspersons, including woman shuttler Aparna Popat and shooter Gagan Narang were presented the Arjuna award.
The BCCI has decided to recommend women's cricket great Mithali Raj and premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, country's highest sporting honour.
Olympic bronze-winning Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh was on Tuesday added to the list of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awardees, taking the total number of this year's winners to an unparalleled 12.
The 30-year-old world champion trap shooter was bestowed with the country's highest sports award.
India's top sprinter Hima Das, who had a stellar 2018, has been nominated for the prestigious Khel Ratna by the state government of Assam. The 20-year-old from Dhing village in Assam is one of the youngest nominees for Khel Ratna this year.
Bajrang Punia had won gold medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games last year.
Harbhajan's nomination for Khel Ratna award has been rejected by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) on grounds that his documents reached late.
Table tennis player Manika Batra, who will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award this year, said that the accolade would spur her to bring more laurels for the country.
It was a celebration of woman power in sports as Olympic stars PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik and Dipa Karmakar were on Monday conferred India's highest sporting honour -- the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- along with shooter Jitu Rai in a gleaming awards ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
The BCCI this year hasn't forwarded any name for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest honour for active sportspersons in the country, since the Indian cricket board didn't find any fitting cricketer for the award.
Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to the government protesting against the election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh-loyalist Sanjay Singh.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances