Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Manika Batra, Vinesh Phogat, Rani Rampal to be awarded Khel Ratna
Rohit Sharma, the 33-year old swashbuckling opening batsman and vice-captain of Indian cricket team is all set to receive the country’s highest sporting honour– the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2020.
Other sportspersons
- Paralympic gold medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu,
- wrestler and Asian Games medallist Vinesh Phogat,
- table tennis champion Manika Batra
- India hockey captain Rani Rampal..
Important Points
- Meanwhile, there will be 27 Arjuna awardees this year.
- Indian sprinter and national champion Dutee Chand and cricketers Ishant Sharma and Deepti Sharma are among those who will receive the honour this year.
- Thirteen coaches will receive the prestigious Dronacharya award, of which eight are in the lifetime category.
- Fifteen names have been shortlisted for the Dhyan Chand honour.
- This year, the award ceremony is set be held virtually on August 29, the National Sports Day, instead of a grand event at the Rashtrapati Bhavan due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is Khel Ratna?
- The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games, is the highest sporting honour of the Republic of India. The award is named after Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India who served the office from 1984 to 1989.
- The first recipient of the award was Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, who was honoured for the performance in the year 1991–92.
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