India hockey men's team captain Harmanpreet Singh who led the team fo a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, has been recommended for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. India men's high jump T64 class Paris Paralympics gold medallist Praveen Kumar has been recommended for the highest sportning honour in the country as well.
According to TOI, The two names have been recommended by a 12-member selection committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramasubramaniam.
The notable absentee is double bronze medallist at Paris Olympics 2024, shooter Manu Bhaker. As per the report, the officials in sports ministry said that 22-year-old did not apply for the award. However, sources close to the youngster's family said that she sent her application.
Recommendations for Arjuna award
Meanwhile, the awards committee has recommended a total of 30 sportspersons for the Arjuna award. The list is headed by freestyle wrestler Aman Sehrawat who won a bronze medal at Paris Olympics. Shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh who won bronze at the Olympics earlier this year have been recommended for the award as well. Sarabjot won the bronze medal in the mixed team event alongside Bhaker. Men's hockeys tars Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay Rana, Rajkumar Pal, Abhishek Nain and Sukhjeet Singh have mmade the cut as well.
The list of 17 para-athletes who won medals in Paris Paralympics and recommended for Arjuna award are Navdeep Singh (para athletics), Dharambir (para athletics), Ajeet Singh (para athletics), Sachin Khilari (para athletics), Pranav Soorma (para athletics), Preeti Pal (para athletics), Simran (para athletics), Hokato Hotozhe Sema (para athletics), Deepthi Jeevanji (para athletics), Nitesh Kumar (para badminton), Manisha Ramdas (para badminton), Thulasimathi Murugesan (para badminton), Nithya Sivan (para badminton), Mona Aggarwal (para shooting), Rubina Francis (para shooting), Kapil Parmar (para judo) and Rakesh Kumar (para archery).
Lifetime achievement award
Also, India's para swimmer Muralikant Petkar who won the gold in the 1972 Heidelberg Paralympics in West Germany has been recommended for Arjuna award in the lifetime achievement category.
Dronacharya award
In addition, para shooting coach Subhash Rana has been recommended for the Dronacharya award. He mentored the likes of Avani Lekhara, Manish Narwal, Rubina Franchis and Mona Agarwal.
