The selection committee for the National Sports Awards has unveiled its recommendations, with Indian hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh emerging as the sole nominee for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for the year 2024. In a parallel announcement, the panel has finalised a list of 24 athletes for the Arjuna Award, featuring notable names like teenage chess sensation Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi.
Hardik Singh: The Lone Contender for India's Highest Sporting Honour
The 27-year-old Hardik Singh has been recognised for his instrumental role as the midfield mainstay of the Indian men's hockey team. His consistent performances were pivotal in India's medal-winning campaigns at both the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Adding to his accolades this year, he was a key member of the squad that clinched the Asia Cup gold. The Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour, carries a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh along with a medallion and a citation.
A Diverse Array of Talent for the Arjuna Awards
The Arjuna Award recommendations showcase a wide spectrum of sporting excellence from across the country. The list of 24 athletes includes several trailblazers.
Divya Deshmukh, the 19-year-old chess prodigy, made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the World Cup. She is recommended alongside fellow chess player Vidit Gujrathi.
Athlete Tejaswin Shankar finds a place for his historic silver medal in decathlon at the 2023 Asian Games, followed by a second-place finish at the Asian Championships this year.
In a significant first, yogasan athlete Aarti Pal has been recommended for the Arjuna Award, five years after the discipline was formally recognised by the Sports Ministry. Aarti is the reigning national and Asian champion, with yogasan set to be a demonstration sport at the 2026 Asian Games.
Other prominent recommendations include rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, a two-time World Championship bronze-medallist, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and the women's badminton doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. Gayatri is the daughter of renowned coach and former champion Pullela Gopichand.
Notably, the list does not feature any cricketers this year, with pacer Mohammed Shami being the last recipient from the sport in 2023.
Selection Panel and Award Details
The awards selection committee, which met on Wednesday, includes distinguished personalities such as Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Vice President Gagan Narang, former badminton player Aparna Popat, and former hockey player M M Somaya. The Arjuna Award confers a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh to the winners.
The previous year, in 2023, the Khel Ratna was jointly awarded to four athletes: chess world champion D Gukesh, men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, para-athlete Praveen Kumar, and shooter Manu Bhaker.
Full List of National Sports Awards 2024 Recommendations:
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna: Hardik Singh (Hockey).
Arjuna Awards: Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Priyanka (Athletics), Narender (Boxing), Vidit Gujrathi (Chess), Divya Deshmukh (Chess), Dhanush Srikanth (Deaf Shooting), Pranati Nayak (Gymnastics), Rajkumar Pal (Hockey), Surjeet (Kabaddi), Nirmala Bhati (Kho Kho), Rudransh Khandelwal (Para-Shooting), Ekta Bhyan (Para-athletics), Padmanabh Singh (Polo), Arvind Singh (Rowing), Akhil Sheoran (Shooting), Mehuli Ghosh (Shooting), Sutirtha Mukherjee (Table Tennis), Sonam Malik (Wrestling), Aarti (Yoga), Treesa Jolly (Badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi).
