Two-time Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker and current classical World Chess Champion Gukesh D have received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award today, the highest honour for a sportsperson in India. The ceremony took place on the morning of January 17, 2025.
Manu Bhaker And D Gukesh Wins Khel Ratna
Today was the prestigious prize ceremony, during which President Draupadi Murmu awarded prizes to some of the country’s best athletes.
First, the Khel Ratna Awards, which are given out to one of the greatest athletes this country has ever produced. There were four recipients of this award in this ceremony. The first to receive the award was Dommaraju Gukesh, who at the age of 18, became the youngest World Chess Champion last year, defeating then-world champion Ding Liren in a 14-match series.
Next was Indian Men’s Hockey Team captain Harmanpreet Singh, who captained the team to a bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Then, Praveen Kumar received the awards. He is a para-athlete in the high jump and won the gold medal in the High Jump T64 event at the Paris Olympics.
Finally, Manu Bhaker received the honour. She became the only Indian athlete to win two Olympic medals in a single Olympics when she won two bronze medals in Paris. She very nearly won a third, finishing fourth in her signature 25m air pistol event.
Apart from these athletes, 32 athletes received the Arjuna Award, which is the second-highest honour for an athlete in this country; two athletes received the Lifetime Arjuna Award, and five coaches received the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in sports and games.
Gukesh, Harmanpreet, Praveen, and Manu enter an illustrious list of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award winners. Some of the biggest sports athletes have received this honour. Some of the recipients in the past few years have been Indian cricket legend Mithali Raj, former Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri, legendary hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma, and table tennis star Sharath Kamal.
Check Out: Manu Bhaker And D Gukesh Wins Khel Ratna
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for Live Updates – Facebook & Instagram.
