Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker and world chess champion D Gukesh are among the four athletes who will be honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award on January 17, the Sports Ministry announced on Thursday, January 2. Manu's name had initially been missing from the list of nominees for the Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour in the country."

Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympian Praveen Kumar will also receive the Khel Ratna Award from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on January 17.

"Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches, universities, and entities," the ministry said in a statement.

The Sports Ministry announced the list of athletes who will be given the Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dhronacharya awards on January 17. While four will be conferred with the Khel Ratna award, 32 athletes will receive the Arjuna Award, and Dhronacharya Award for three coaches.

A controversy had erupted over Manu Bhaker's omission from the list of nominees for the prestigious Khel Ratna Award. The shooter’s father and coach, Jaspal Rana, expressed their disappointment over the oversight, criticising the sporting authorities for not nominating her after her achievements in the Olympic year. Manu's father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, even remarked that he should have made his daughter a cricketer instead of a shooter.

However, Manu Bhaker addressed the controversy in a statement, clarifying that she was not concerned with awards and remained focused on winning more laurels for the country. She acknowledged a potential oversight in the nomination process.

“Regarding the ongoing issue with my nomination for the prestigious Khel Ratna award, I would like to state that, as an athlete, my role is to play and perform for my country. I believe there has been a lapse, possibly on my part, while filing for the nomination, which is being corrected,” Manu said in a post on Instagram.

MORE ABOUT THE KHEL RATNA AWARD WINNERS

• Manu Bhaker won bronze medals in 10m air pistol and 10m pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics, becoming the first athlete to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Games since Independence.

• D Gukesh, meanwhile, became the youngest world champion in classical chess after beating Ding Liren of China in December.

• Harmanpreet Singh led India to their second successive Olympic bronze in men's hockey earlier this year.

• Praveen Kumar won gold in the High Jump T 64 event at the Paris Olympics.

FULL LIST OF AWARDS WINNERS - NATIONAL SPORTS DAY 2024

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

1. Shri Gukesh D - Chess

2. Shri Harmanpreet Singh - Hockey

3. Shri Praveen Kumar - Para-Athletics

4. Ms. Manu Bhakar - Shooting

Arjuna Award

1. Ms. Jyothi Yarraji - Athletics

2. Ms. Annu Rani - Athletics

3. Ms. Nitu - Boxing

4. Ms. Saweety - Boxing

5. Ms. Vantika Agrawal - Chess

6. Ms. Salima Tete - Hockey

7. Shri Abhishek - Hockey

8. Shri Sanjay - Hockey

9. Shri Jarmanpreet Singh - Hockey

10. Shri Sukhjeet Singh - Hockey

11. Shri Rakesh Kumar - Para-Archery

12. Ms. Preeti Pal - Para-Athletics

13. Ms. Jeevanji Deepthi - Para-Athletics

14. Shri Ajeet Singh - Para-Athletics

15. Shri Sachin Sarjerao Khilari - Para-Athletics

16. Shri Dharambir - Para-Athletics

17. Shri Pranav Soorma - Para-Athletics

18. Shri H Hokato Sema - Para-Athletics

19. Ms. Simran - Para-Athletics

20. Shri Navdeep - Para-Athletics

21. Shri Nitesh Kumar - Para-Badminton

22. Ms. Thulasimathi Murugesan - Para-Badminton

23. Ms. Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan - Para-Badminton

24. Ms. Manisha Ramadass - Para-Badminton

25. Shri Kapil Parmar - Para-Judo

26. Ms. Mona Agarwal - Para-Shooting

27. Ms. Rubina Francis - Para-Shooting

28. Shri Swapnil Suresh Kusale - Shooting

29. Shri Sarabjot Singh - Shooting

30. Shri Abhay Singh - Squash

31. Shri Sajan Prakash - Swimming

32. Shri Aman - Wrestling

Arjuna Awards (Lifetime)

1. Shri Sucha Singh - Athletics

2. Shri Murlikant Rajaram Petkar - Para-Swimming

Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches

1. Shri Subhash Rana - Para-Shooting

2. Ms. Deepali Deshpande - Shooting

3. Shri Sandeep Sangwan - Hockey

Lifetime Category

1. Shri S Muralidharan - Badminton

2. Shri Armando Agnelo Colaco - Football

Source: India Today