Khel Ratna Award Announced: The Sports Ministry has announced the National Sports Awards for 2024. This time four athletes have been selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The athletes who are getting the Khel Ratna this time include world champion Grandmaster D Gukesh, Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, Para Olympics gold medal winner Praveen Kumar and Manu Bhaker, who won two medals in shooting at the Paris Olympics. The award winners will be given awards at a special ceremony on January 17, 2025 (Friday) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This time, a total of 32 athletes, including 17 para athletes, have been selected for the Arjuna Award by the Sports Ministry. However, this time there is no cricketer who is receiving the award.

Recently, some reports had claimed that Manu Bhaker’s name was missing among the players whose names have been proposed for Khel Ratna, after which there was a huge uproar. Manu’s father Ram Kishan and coach Jaspal Rana were angry with this insult. However, Manu Bhakar admitted that he might have made a mistake while filing his nomination.

Manu Bhaker wrote on Awards and recognition are not my goal, I think there is a mistake on my part which is being rectified despite the awards. Will be inspired by everyone. It is requested that please do not speculate on this matter.”

Manu Bhaker had created history by winning bronze medal in 10 meter air pistol individual and 10 meter air pistol mixed team event in Paris Olympics. Manu Bhaker became the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in the same edition of the Olympics.

In the Paris Olympics itself, the Indian hockey team under the leadership of the same Harmanpreet had won the bronze medal. This was the first time in the last two decades that the Indian hockey team had won medals in two consecutive Olympics. The hockey team also won bronze in the 2022 Tokyo Olympics.

Whereas 18 year old D Gukesh held the record of becoming the youngest world champion in December. Gukesh won the FIDE World Champion title by defeating Ding Liren of China. Apart from this, he also helped the Indian team win the historic gold in the Chess Olympiad.

Para high-jumper Praveen had won the gold medal in the T64 category in the Paris Paralympics. The T64 category is for athletes who are missing one or both legs below the knee and have to rely on a prosthetic leg to run.

See here who got the Khel Ratna

Complete list of Arjun Award players