Manu Bhaker, Gukesh Among Four Athletes Selected for Khel Ratna Award

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has announced the prestigious National Sports Awards for 2024, with four exceptional athletes being honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The recipients include Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Praveen Kumar, all of whom have made significant contributions to Indian sports in their respective disciplines.

Manu Bhaker: The 22-year-old shooting star, who made history at the Tokyo Olympics, became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition. Bhaker clinched a bronze in the 10m air pistol individual event and another in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, cementing her place among India’s top athletes.

Harmanpreet Singh: The Indian men's hockey team captain led the squad to its second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo. Harmanpreet’s leadership and stellar performance on the field have earned him this high honor.

D Gukesh: At just 18 years old, Gukesh made history by becoming the youngest ever World Chess Champion. His remarkable achievements also contributed to India’s historic gold medal win at the Chess Olympiad in 2023.

Praveen Kumar: The para-athlete, a T64 classification champion at the Paris Paralympics, is recognized for his outstanding performance in high jump. This classification includes athletes with one or both legs amputated below the knee, and Praveen’s victory is a testament to his resilience and dedication.

These exceptional athletes will be formally presented with their awards by the President of India at a special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM.

Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance

In addition to the Khel Ratna Awards, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports also named 32 athletes, including 17 para-athletes, for the Arjuna Awards 2024. The list includes stars from various disciplines, such as:

• Jyothi Yarraji (Athletics)
• Annu Rani (Athletics)
• Nitu (Boxing)
• Vantika Agrawal (Chess)
• Saweety (Boxing)
• Salima Tete (Hockey)
• Sanjay and Abhishek (Hockey)

The full list of Arjuna Award recipients is as follows:

1. Jyothi Yarraji (Athletics)
2. Annu Rani (Athletics)
3. Nitu (Boxing)
4. Saweety (Boxing)
5. Vantika Agrawal (Chess)
6. Salima Tete (Hockey)
7. Abhishek (Hockey)
8. Sanjay (Hockey)
9. Jarmanpreet Singh (Hockey)
10. Sukhjeet Singh (Hockey)
11. Rakesh Kumar (Para-Archery)
12. Preeti Pal (Para-Athletics)
13. Jeevanji Deepthi (Para-Athletics)
14. Ajeet Singh (Para-Athletics)
15. Sachin Sarjerao Khilari (Para-Athletics)
16. Dharambir (Para-Athletics)
17. Pranav Soorma (Para-Athletics)
18. H Hokato Sema (Para-Athletics)
19. Simran (Para-Athletics)
20. Navdeep (Para-Athletics)
21. Nitesh Kumar (Para-Badminton)
22. Thulasimathi Murugesan (Para-Badminton)
23. Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan (Para-Badminton)
24. Manisha Ramadass (Para-Badminton)
25. Kapil Parmar (Para-Judo)
26. Mona Agarwal (Para-Shooting)
27. Rubina Francis (Para-Shooting)
28. Swapnil Suresh Kusale (Shooting)
29. Sarabjot Singh (Shooting)
30. Abhay Singh (Squash)
31. Sajan Prakash (Swimming)
32. Aman (Wrestling)

Lifetime Achievement: Arjuna Awards

Sucha Singh, a former cyclist, and Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, a former para-swimmer, have been recognized with the Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for their outstanding contributions to Indian sports.

Dronacharya Awards for Outstanding Coaches

The Dronacharya Awards 2024 recognize coaches who have made exceptional contributions to their disciplines:

1. Subhash Rana (Para-Shooting) - Regular
2. Deepali Deshpande (Shooting) - Regular
3. Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey) - Regular
4. S Muralidharan (Badminton) - Lifetime
5. Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football) - Lifetime

Other Key Awards

• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: The Physical Education Foundation of India has been awarded for its contribution to the development of sports in the country.
• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024: Chandigarh University has been named the overall winner for its performance in the Khelo India University Games, with Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University securing first and second runners-up positions, respectively.

This year’s National Sports Awards celebrate not only individual brilliance but also the relentless spirit and dedication of coaches and organizations that support the nation's athletes. The ceremony, which will take place in January 2025, promises to honor these incredible achievements in the world of sports.