Robbed of some sheen due to selection controversies this year, the National Sports Awards were presented to the country's top athletes and coaches with shooter Ronjan Sodhi getting the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while cricketer Virat Kohli was among the Arjuna awardees.
'It's not good in sport, it's not good to push and continue. If you want to run a long career then you have to be fit and healthy but there are competitions where you can't make a decision. Now we will work on this and work on the technique.'
No sportsperson has been named for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna while 15, including cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin, were recommended for the Arjuna Award this year.
The committee also picked 19 sportspersons for the Arjuna Award, including the likes of cricketers Ravindra Jadeja and Poonam Yadav, track and field stars Tejinder Pal Singh Toor, Mohammed Anas and Swapna Barman.
The 36-year-old goalkeeper, a veteran of 328 international matches, took to social media to announce his decision.
Shami was there to receive the honours. He took 24 wickets in seven World Cup games last year.
Sunil Chhetri said he would like to be remembered as 'the luckiest and most hardworking national team player'.
Sania Mirza reacted with delight at her being recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, describing it as the "most amazing" development.
The 30-year-old world champion trap shooter was bestowed with the country's highest sports award.
Fifteen other top sportspersons, including woman shuttler Aparna Popat and shooter Gagan Narang were presented the Arjuna award.
Rio Paralympcs silver medallist remains upset over being ignored for Khel Ratna this year and feels exception should have been made by the awards committee, like it had done in 2016.
'I would say you have to give six months to a year to give the athletes to kind of even register that person is going (to the Olympics). People are struggling to find their kit. So, things could have been better.'
Badminton ace Saina Nehwal, whose phenomenal rise was highlighted by three top-flight international titles recently, was on Sunday conferred the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award at a glittering ceremony in New Delhi.
The BCCI has recommended former India captain Rahul Dravid for the prestigious Dronacharya award and once again nominated Virat Kohli for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna honour.
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The NRAI has sent the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma for the prestigious Arjuna Award, according to federation sources.
Somdev Devvarman may have led a players' rebellion against the national tennis federation, but AITA has recommended him for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award for 2013.
Bajrang Punia was nominated for the Khel Ratna by the Wrestling Federation of India following his twin gold medals at this year's Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Jakarta Asian Games.
Sprint legend P T Usha was on Thursday named chairperson of the selection committee for this year's national sports awards, while hockey icon Ashok Kumar was appointed head of the panel to pick the Dronacharya awardees. The 17-member panel to select the winners of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dhyan Chand awards also includes tennis ace Leander Paes and Olympic bronze medallist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari.
Bajrang Punia met Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and said he has been assured that his case will be looked into.
The Cricket Board has recommended India's ODI and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest honour for any sportsperson in the country.
India cricket captain Virat Kohli and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were on Monday recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna by the awards selection committee.
Disappointed at being ignored for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, top woman discus thrower Krishna Poonia on Wednesday went to see Sports Minister Jitendra Singh to express her displeasure over the issue but failed to meet him.
Devendra Jhajharia, on Tuesday became the first para athlete to receive India's highest sporting honour -- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- along with hockey star Sardar Singh, who has endured trying times off the field in the last one year.
Chess ace P Harikrishna and shuttler Chetan Anand were among 14 others to receive Arjuna awards.
'There will be no khel on February 12 during the confidence motion vote.'
The 21-year-old cueist will be conferred the country's highest sporting honour.
Javelin thrower Annu Rani and four-time Commonwealth Games medallist discus thrower Seema Antil Punia also have been recommended for the Arjuna Award.
The list of 14 Arjuna award winners releases on Wednesday did not include a single men's cricketer.
BCCI wrote to the Union Sports Ministry recommending the names of Ganguly and his deputy Rahul Dravid for outstanding performance in 2004.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat are in contention for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
Anju Bobby George and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna award respectively.
Terming Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings his favourite teams in IPL, Gavaskar said Kolkata Knight Riders would be the dark horse.
The Cricket Board has decided to recommend recently retired stalwart Rahul Dravid for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Yuvraj Singh, the player of the World Cup, for the Arjuna Award.
Twenty-one sportspersons, including cricketer Virender Sehwag, footballer I M Vijayan and hockey player Gagan Ajit Singh, have been named for the Arjuna awards 2002.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India officially made it clear that it did not receive any request from the Sports Ministry for nominating cricketers for the Arjuna and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awards.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel on Wednesday refused to commit if medallists of the ongoing Rio Paralympics will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award -- the highest sporting honour in the country. An Olympic medallist directly qualifies for the Khel Ratna award during an Olympic year but Goel said there is no such policy in place for the paralympians.
Not a man for diplomatic circumlocution, wrestler Sushil Kumar on Wednesday said it would have been injustice if he was denied the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award even after winning the bronze medal in Beijing Olympics.
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