Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha has recommended the names of world No 1 para badminton player Pramod Bhagat for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for the year 2021. It has also recommended the name of Indain women hockey team vice-captain Deep Grace Ekka Arjuna Award.

DSYS was made this announcement through social media network service, Twitter today. This is the second time within a week that DSYS has recommended names of eminent sports personalities, institutions and establishment of the state for National sports awards.

Earlier on June 28, DSYS recommended the names of star sprinter Dutee Chand and Indian men hockey team vice-captain Birendra Lakra for Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award respectively. The Department also recommended the names of eminent hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury for Dronacharya Award, former India woman hurdler Anuradha Biswal for Dhyan Chand Award and KIIT Deemed University and Odisha Mining Corporation for Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.

Overall, DSYS has recommended a total of eight names to the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India for different national sports awards for the year 2021. Among them, Dutee and Bhagat were conferred with the Arjuna Award in the year 2020 and 2019 respectively.

Meanwhile, Para Sports Association of Odisha (PSAO) has nominated also nominated Pramod Bhagat for the Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of the country. He has been selected to represent the coutry in the Tokyo Paralympic Games, scheduled to be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021. Similarly, Dutee Chand, Birendra Lakra and Deep Grace Ekka would be competing in the Tokyo Summer Olympic Games.