The 27-year-old wrestler, who made his Olympics debut at the ongoing Games, outwitted Kazakhstan's Daulet Niyazbekov in the play-off round.
Mary Kom won the Padma Bhushan in 2013 and Padma Shri in 2006.
In hockey, the women's team continued its inspiring run with a silver medal at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
On Friday, Sakshi (65kg, silver), Vinesh (53kg, bronze) young Anshu Malik (57kg bronze) and Gursharan Preet kaur (72kg, bronze) added to India's tally.
Slipping out of the usual top-five was seen as a real possibility in absence of shooting but phenomenal success in athletics and lawn bowls propelled India to a commendable fourth place finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Pooja Dhanda claimed gold in the 59kg category while Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik settled for a silver medal in the 65kg category
Humpy bagged the award after receiving the highest number of votes from the fans.
Vinesh, a world championship medallist and Olympian, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wresters at the behest of the WFI President.
The Italians are playing tennis from their balconies. What are you doing?
World Championship silver medallist wrestler Deepak Punia has jumped to World No 1 position in the 86kg but Bajrang Punia lost the top rank in the 65kg category in the latest rankings.
India have done reasonably well in the quadrennial continental event, only twice finishing outside the top eight since hosting the first Asiad in 1951.
Vinesh Phogat's gold medal was India's first since women's wrestling was introduced at the Asian Games in 2002.
Riding on her bronze medal finish at the Rio Olympic Games, Sakshi Malik entered the top-five in the latest UWW (United World Wrestling) rankings, rising to a career-best 4th position in women's 58kg category. Previously unranked, Sakshi, who became the first Indian woman wrestler to win an olympic medal, claimed the position in the latest list.
They have been moved to a SAI empanelled hospital as a precautionary measure for further monitoring.
Vij said that sportspersons' objection to the government plan is not justified.
Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya says he has decided to give the upcoming wrestling World Championship a miss since he did not get time to prepare for the selection trials Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya says he has decided to give the upcoming wrestling World Championship a miss since he did not get time to prepare for the selection trials that WFI is organising next week to pick the Indian team for the prestigious tournament.Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya says he has decided to give the upcoming wrestling World Championship a miss since he did not get time to prepare for the selection trials that WFI is organising next week to pick the Indian team for the prestigious tournament.that WFI is organising next week to pick the Indian team for the prestigious tournament.
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.
Wrestlers have the opportunity to win more quota places at the Asian qualifiers and World Qualifiers this year.
Olympic-bound Ravi Dahiya could not take advantage of a tiring Gulomjon Abdullaev in the final after outclassing the same Uzbek wrestler in his opening round and settled for a silver medal at the Poland Open in Warsaw on Wednesday.
India's top-five finish not a given this time
Star grappler Sakshi Malik bagged a silver medal for India in the ongoing Asian Wrestling Championship after losing to Japan's Risako Kawai in women's 60kg category in New Delhi, on Friday.
Anshu Malik created history on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the World Championships final. She outclassed junior European champion Solomiia Vynnyk, even as Sarita Mor lost her semi-final after shocking World champion Linda Morais of Canada earlier in the day.
The denial of visa to Pakistani shooters had led to the International Olympic Committee suspending discussions with India for hosting future global events.
Seven Olympic and six Paralympic disciplines were identified for support at a meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell.
Ace Indian sprinter Dutee Chand said the Arjuna Award will motivate her to win a prestigious Olympic medal at the Tokyo Games next year.
Former India football captain Baichung Bhutia was given the Lifetime Achievement award, while hockey legend and three-time Olympic gold medallist Balbir Singh Sr was honoured with the Icon of the Century award.
Athletes and officials from eight disciplines of archery, badminton, table tennis, hockey, judo, gymnastics, swimming and weightlifting landed in Tokyo
Sakshi Malik ended India's frustrating medal drought with a dramatic bronze-winning effort on Day 12 of the Rio Olympic Games on Wednesday.
Divya Kakran shrugged off a crushing quarter-final defeat to bag the bronze, ensuring that medals continued to come from the wrestling arena even as three other Indians crashed out early at the Asian Games.
While skill is not an issue with Vinesh, holding off strong candidates for six minutes is a big challenge, she herself had admitted recently.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat are in contention for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award
Veteran Indian wrestler Geeta Phogat expressed her desire to make a comeback and represent the country at the Tokyo Olympic Games next year. Geeta, who gave birth to her son in December, said the postponement of the Tokyo Games due to the coronavirus pandemic came as a blessing in disguise for her and will give more time to prepare for the mega-event.
India's sports fraternity joined the nation on Sunday in saluting its essential services providers engaged in the fight against COVID-19 by clapping for them and sharing messages and videos of gratitude on social media.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Star India grappler Vinesh Phogat won her second consecutive gold in 53kg
Sachin Tendulkar will travel to the Rio Olympics after being invited by International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach along with other eminent global personalities.
Ravi Dahiya became only the second Indian wrestler to qualify for the final at the Olympic Games, when he sensationally turned around the 57kg semi-final bout by pinning Kazakhstan's Nurislam Sanayev, in Tokyo.
The opening ceremony has been created by British screenwriter Steven Knight, who had produced the famous crime drama 'Peaky Blinders'.
Well aware of their preparations and formative years, Modi's conversations touched upon the making of their success stories and also some fun queries like the one posed to world champion P V Sindhu.
Pitted against heavyweights in their respective first round, both Sonam and Anshu cared little for reputations, fighting fearlessly.
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