Khel Ratna News

Manu Bhaker took to social media to clarify her position on not being among those recommended for the country's highest sporting honour.   

Mithali Raj is also in the list 35 athletes are picked for Arjuna Award

Besides Rohit, only three more Indian cricketers namely Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have been honoured with Khel Ratna. Rohit became the first cricketer ever to notch up five centuries in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI World Cup in 2019. The awardees will receive their awards from President Ram Nath Kovind at a specially organized function through virtual mode on August 29, 2020.

Manika had a successful 2018 when she won gold in the Commonwealth Games and bronze in the Asian Games. Star India batsman Rohit Sharma is among the five athletes who will receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 2020. This will be the first time in the history of National Sports Day awards that five sportspersons will be conferred with the Khel Ratna.

Besides Rohit, only three more Indian cricketers namely Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have been honoured with Khel Ratna. Rohit became the first cricketer ever to notch up five centuries in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI World Cup in 2019.

On June 2, BAI had recommended Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and Sameer Verma for Arjuna award, leaving out Prannoy which prompted the shuttler to express his displeasure on Twitter.

This will be the second consecutive time that the 25-year-old would be recommended for the award.

Khel Ratna is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four year.

"Ministry has asked Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to give the order of ranking for given nominations and she stands at fifth. So her nomination was rejected," a source in the Sports Authority of India (SAI) told ANI.

Other boxers who will be in contention but have not been recommended by BFI are former world silver-medallist Sonia Lather and former CWG bronze-winner Pinki Rani. 

Sidhu also won a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event of the 2017 World Cup in New Delhi and silver in the 2009 and 2014 editions of the marquee event.

The cricketer's post for the 'Pari' actress is winning the Internet.

Kohli did not score any point as there is no criteria for cricket, which is not an Olympic sport. Selection of cricketers for the award thus often lead to a controversy.

Dravid has been nominated for successfully guiding the India U-19 team to World Cup title early this year. Under his guidance, the Colts batch of 2016 played the finals. He has worked with India A team also and is the bridge between international and junior cricket.

Jhajharia received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapathi Bhawan along with Sardar Singh, who became only the second hockey player to get the prestigious Khel Ratna on the National Sports Day.

The Committee, to be headed by Justice (retd) C K Thakkar, will meet on August 3 to select this year's awardees.

The Khel Ratna awardee shot a score of 188.8 to finish behind China's Wei Pang at Bologna.

India have won four medals at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Sakshi, along with shuttler PV Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar and shooter Jitu Rai were honoured with the country's highest sporting award, Khel Ratna on August 29.

President Pranab Mukherjee gave away the Khel Ratna to PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Jitu Rai and Dipa Karmakar on the occasion of National Sports Day.