Double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker, chess prodigy D Gukesh, men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, and Paralympic gold medallist Praveen Kumar have been selected for the prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, the highest sporting honor in India. The Sports Ministry announced their names on Thursday, alongside 32 athletes, including 17 para-athletes, chosen for the Arjuna Awards.
The announcement comes amid controversy surrounding Manu Bhaker’s nomination. Earlier reports claimed her name was missing from the list, sparking anger from her father, Ram Kishan, and coach Jaspal Rana. However, Bhaker addressed the issue with grace, admitting a possible lapse in her nomination process while emphasizing that her focus remains on performing for her country.
“As an athlete, my role is to play and perform for my country. Awards and recognition keep me motivated but are not my goal,” Bhaker wrote on X, reiterating her commitment to winning more medals.
The 22-year-old Bhaker made history as independent India’s first athlete to secure two medals in a single Olympic edition, claiming bronze in both the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events in August.
Harmanpreet Singh also brought glory to Indian sports, leading the national hockey team to its second consecutive Olympic bronze medal.
Eighteen-year-old chess sensation D Gukesh became the youngest-ever World Chess Champion while also spearheading India to a historic gold at the Chess Olympiad last year.
Meanwhile, para-athlete Praveen Kumar earned his place in history by winning the T64 high jump gold at the Paris Paralympics. The T64 classification includes athletes who compete with prosthetic limbs.
The awardees will be honored by the President of India in a grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, 2025. This year’s Khel Ratna awardees exemplify excellence across diverse sports, inspiring the nation with their achievements on the world stage.
