BHUBANESWAR 22-Aug-2017
Former India hockey captain Sardar Singh and para-athlete Devendra Jhajharia have been officially named to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for the year 2017. Jhajharia will be the first para-athlete to receive country’s highest sports recognition.
The Sports Ministry has also confirmed the names of seven Dronacharya, 17 Arjuna and three Dhyan Chand Awardees. The recommendations were made by a committee of former Olympians, national sports award recipients and eminent journalists. The committee was headed by Justice (Retd) CK Thakkar. Selection Committee for Dronacharya Awards and Dhyan Chand Awards was headed by Pullela Gopichand.
The Dhyan Chand Award is bestowed for life time contribution to sports development. The awards will be presented on the National Sports Day, August 29 by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardees will receive a citation, certificate and cash purse of Rs 7.5 lakh, whereas Drona, Arjuna and Dhyan Chand award winners receive Rs 5 lakh, citation, certificate and statuette.
AWARDEES:
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: 1. Devendra Jhajharia (Para athlete), 2. Sardara Singh (Hockey).
Dronacharya Award: 1. Late Dr DR Gandhi (athletics), 2. Heera Nand Kataria (kabaddi), 3. GSSV Prasad (badminton, lifetime), 4. Brij Bhushan Mohanty (boxing, lifetime), 5. PA Raphel (hockey, lifetime), 6. Sanjoy Chakravarthy (shooting, lifetime), 7. Roshan Lal (wrestling, lifetime).
Arjuna Award: 1. VK Surekha (archery), 2. Khushbir Kaur (athletics), 3. Arokia Rajiv (athletics), 4. Prashant Singh (basketball), 5. Laishram Debendro Singh (boxing), 6. Cheteshwar Pujara (cricket), 7. Harmanpreet Kaur (cricket), 8. Oinam Bembem Devi (football), 9. SSP Chawrasia (golf), 10. SV Sunil (hockey), 11. Jasvir Singh (kabaddi), 12. PN Prakash (shooting), 13. A Amalraj (table tennis), 14. Saketh Myneni (tennis), 15. Satyawrat Kadiyan (wrestling), 16. Mariyappan (para-athlete), 17. Varun Singh Bhati (para-athlete).
Dhyan Chand Award: 1. Bhupender Singh (athletics), 2. Syed Shahid Hakim (football), 3. Sumarai Tete (hockey).
