India Honors Sporting Greats with Prestigious Khel Ratna Awards
New Delhi, December 28, 2023 - The Indian government has announced the recipients of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards, India's highest sporting honour, for 2024. The winners include Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Harmanpreet Singh, chess world champion Gukesh D, and para-athlete Praveen Kumar.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on January 17 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, where the President of India will bestow the awards upon the winners. The list also includes Arjuna Award winners, including national-level athletes across various disciplines.
Manu Bhaker, a 22-year-old Indian pistol shooter, became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting with a bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Her feat was celebrated globally and solidified her reputation as a sports icon in India. The young athlete also made history by winning the mixed team air pistol event with teammate Sarabjot Singh.
Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics, showcasing his exceptional skills as one of the top drag-flickers in modern hockey. He finished as the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals and played a pivotal role in India's campaign at Paris 2024.
Gukesh D, an 18-year-old chess prodigy, stunned the world by becoming the youngest world chess champion and only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the title. The 22-year-old chess sensation has been part of the men's team that won the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.
Para-athlete Praveen Kumar soared to victory in the men’s high jump T64 class with an Asian record at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, clearing 2.08 meters in the final for his second Paralympic medal. The young athlete also secured a silver medal at Tokyo 2020.
Meanwhile, other sports persons who made it to the list of prestigious Arjuna Award winners include Indian women’s hockey captain Salima Tete, along with Jyothi Yarraji and Annu Rani, medallists at the Asian Games in athletics. Similarly, Swinjam champ Neeraj Chopra who secured a silver medal at Paris 2024 Olympics was named for Dr. Rajendra Prasad Khel Rachana Puraskar