The Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting accolade, is scheduled to be given to Manu Bhaker, D. Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Praveen Kumar. These athletes have gained national attention for their outstanding accomplishments in para-athletics, chess, hockey, and shooting.
The list of recipients for the nation’s highest sports accolade, the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, was revealed by the Sports Ministry of India. This year, Manu Bhaker, D. Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Praveen Kumar—four outstanding athletes—will get the prize for their outstanding efforts.
In India, the Khel Ratna Award is regarded as the highest honor bestowed to athletes. With outstanding achievements, shooter Manu Bhaker created history. D. Gukesh, an 18-year-old chess prodigy, achieved the title of World Chess Champion. Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, guided his squad to the historic bronze medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the Tokyo Paralympics, para-athlete Praveen Kumar won a gold medal, adding to India’s remarkable medal total in parasports.
Argument Against Manu Bhaker’s Choice
Following allegations that the name of the shooter, Manu Bhaker, was missing from the list of athletes suggested to receive the Khel Ratna award, a scandal erupted. Both Bhaker’s coach, Jaspal Rana, and her father, Ram Kishan, voiced their distress about the relocation.
In response to the uproar, Bhaker explained that it’s possible that there was an administrative error during the nomination process. “As an athlete, my role is to play and perform for my country,” she wrote in a social media post. Although they are not my objective, awards and accolades help me stay motivated. I believe there may have been a mistake on my part when I submitted the nomination, and it is now being fixed. Regardless of the honor, I will continue to be inspired to bring home more medals for my nation.
Highlights Of The Sportsmen’s Accomplishments
Manu Bhaker was the first athlete to win two medals for independent India in a single Olympic Games at the age of just 22. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she took home the bronze in both the 10m air pistol mixed team and individual events.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Harmanpreet Singh, a teenage hockey player, captained the Indian men’s hockey team to a bronze medal. India has accomplished the outcomes on the international scene under his direction.
D. Gukesh: The youngest chess champion in history, this chess prodigy caused quite a stir on the global stage. His achievements also earned him a golden medal in the Chess Olympiad, raising India’s standing in the world of chess.
Praveen Kumar: At the Tokyo Paralympics, the T64 gold medallist in high jump was an athlete who had a limb amputated. It was a historic occasion for Indian para-athletics because of his triumph.
The President of India will present the trophies to the victorious athletes on January 17, 2025, at a special event held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Arjuna Awards for Thirty-two Sportsmen
The sports ministry has also revealed the winners of the Arjuna Award, the most prestigious honor given to sportsmen for exceptional accomplishments, in addition to the Khel Ratna honorees. Seventeen of the 32 athletes who were found are para-athletes, meaning they are exceptionally skilled in their particular sports.
