In fact, the selection committee has chosen as many as of 11 athletes, including Tokyo Olympics javelin gold medallist Neeraj Chopra for the Khel Ratna Award, which was originally known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. But Primi Minister Narendra Modi renamed it as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award on 6 August 2021.

Boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who won a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, seasoned hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and woman cricket Test skipper Mithali Raj were also recommended for the Khel Ratna. Sunil Chhetri has also become the first footballer of the country to be selected for the honour. Last year, five athletes were picked for the award while four were selected after the 2016 Rio Games.

The announcement of the national sports awards was delayed in order to consider the performance of the para-athletes in the Tokyo Paralympics (August 24 to September 5). Shooter Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, javelin thrower Sumit Antil and shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, who all have won a gold each in the Tokyo Paralympics, completed the list of those recommended for the Khel Ratna.

Besides Khel Ratna and Arjuna, the selection committee has recommended eight names for Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award, six for Dronacharya Award (Regular) and nine for Dronacharya Award (Lifetime). The list of Dronacharya Award (Lifetime) features Pune-based Odia swimming coach Tapan Kumar Panigrahi.

Former coach of Sports Authority of India, Panigrahi was born and brought up in Midnapore of West Bengal. His grandfather was a native of Puri and migrated to Midnapore later. Panigrahis claims to have imparted coaching to leading Odisha swimmer Pratyasa Ray. He also goomed swimmers of Olympic repute. His daughter, Ananya Panigrahi is a former India No 1 swimmer.

LIST OF NAMES RECOMMENDED FOR NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS:

MAJOR DHYAN CHAND KHEL RATNA AWARD (11): Neeraj Chopra (Athletics), Ravi Dahiya (Wrestling), PR Sreejesh (Hockey), Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing), Sunil Chhetri (Football), Mithali Raj (Cricket), Pramod Bhagat (Para-Badminton), Sumit Antil (Para-Javelin), Avani Lekhara (Para-Shooting), Krishna Nagar (Para-Badminton), M Narwal (Para-Shooting).

ARJUNA AWARD (35): Arpinder Singh (Athletics), Simranjeet Kaur (Boxing), CA Bhawani Devi (Fencing), Shikhar Dhawan (Cricket), Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Birendra Lakra, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Varun Kumar, Simranjit Singh, Monika Dahiya, Vandana Katariya (all Hockey), Sandeep Narwal (Kabaddi), Himani Parab (Mallakhamb), Abhishek Verma (Shooting), Ankita Raina (Tennis), Deepak Punia (Wrestling); Bhavina Patel (Para Table Tennis), Nishad Kumar, Yogesh Kathuniya, Praveen Kumar, Sharad Kumar (all Para Athletics), Singhraj Adhana (Para Shooting), Harvinder Singh (Para Archery), Suhas Yathiraj (Para Badminton).

DHYAN CHAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD (8): OP Jaisha (Athletics), Divya Singh (Basketball), Abhijit Kunte (Chess), Devinder Garcha (Hockey), Vikas Kumar (Kabaddi), Nirbhadur (Para-Athletics), Subba Rao (Volleyball), Sajjan Singh Cheema (Wrestling).

DRONACHARYA AWARD (REGULAR) 6: Pritam Siwach, Sandeep Sangwan (both Hockey), Sujit Mann (Wrestling), S Raman (Table Tennis), Sandhya Gurang (Boxing), P Radhakrishnan Nair (Athletics).

DRONACHARYA AWARD LIFETIME) 9: TP Ouseph (Athletics), Murli Dharan (Badminton), Bhaskar Bhat (Boxing), Sarkar Talwar (Cricket), CR Kumar, Sarpal Singh (both Hockey); Ashan Kumar (Kabaddi), Jagroop Rathi (Wrestling), Tapan Kumar Panigrahi (Swimming)
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TOP: Para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat posing with his Olympic gold medal.
RIGHT: Hockey star Amit Rohidas posing with his Olympic gold medal.