Hardik Singh recommended for Khel Ratna Award: Details here
What's the story
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has recommended Olympic bronze medalist hockey player Hardik Singh for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The committee met in New Delhi on Wednesday and proposed the 27-year-old midfielder's name for his valuable contributions to the Indian hockey team over the last two years. Meanwhile, several other athletes have been recommended for the Arjuna Award.
Career highlights
Hardik's significant contributions to Indian hockey
Hardik Singh was instrumental in the Indian team's success at the Tokyo 2024 and Paris 2020 Olympics, winning the bronze medal. He was also part of the squad that clinched gold at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The Khusropur-born player has represented India 166 times. Dhanraj Pillay (1999-2000), Sardar Singh (2017), Rani Rampal (2020), PR Sreejesh (2021), Manpreet Singh (2021), and Harmanpreet Singh (2024) are the only hockey players to have received this prestigious award.
Selection surprises
No Indian women's cricket team member recommended
The selection panel's decision to recommend only Hardik Singh for the Khel Ratna award has surprised many, especially since no member of the Indian cricket team (men or women) was considered. The Indian side recently won the maiden ICC Women's ODI World Cup title. India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, won their first-ever global ICC title in women's cricket.
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Who won Khel Ratna last year?
Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, chess prodigy Gukesh D, and para-athlete Praveen Kumar received the Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honor, last year.
Award nominations
24 sportspersons recommended for Arjuna Award
The selection committee has also recommended 24 athletes for the Arjuna Awards. Among them is Aarti Pal, the first yogasana athlete to be nominated. She is the reigning national and Asian champion in her sport, which will be featured as a demonstration event at next year's Asian Games. Other nominees include rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and India's top-ranked women's badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. There are no cricketers in this category as well.