President Droupadi Murmu awarded the National Sports Awards to India’s leading athletes and coaches at a special ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Friday. The prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award was presented to several distinguished sportspersons, including World Chess Champion Gukesh D, Paris Olympics and Paralympics medallists Manu Bhaker (shooting), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), and Praveen Kumar (para-athlete).
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honor, recognizes outstanding achievements in sports over the past four years. Gukesh D was honored for becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, while Manu Bhaker received the award for her record-breaking double bronze medal performance at the Paris Olympics. Harmanpreet Singh was acknowledged for his leadership in securing India’s second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in men’s hockey, and Praveen Kumar was recognized for his gold medal in the high jump T64 at the Paralympics.
In addition to the Khel Ratna Award, thirty-two athletes, including seventeen para-athletes, were presented the Arjuna Award for excellence in sports, leadership, and sportsmanship. Notable Arjuna Awardees included Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani, and Nitu.
Lifetime Arjuna Awards were presented to former cyclist Sucha Singh and para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, who made history by winning a gold medal at the 1972 Paralympics.
The Dronacharya Award, which recognizes exceptional coaches, was given to Subhash Rana (para-shooter), Deepali Deshpande (shooting), and Sandeep Sangwan (hockey). Lifetime Dronacharya Awards were presented to S. Muralidharan (badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (football).
The Physical Education Foundation of India was awarded the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, and Chandigarh University, Lovely Professional University, and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, received the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy for their outstanding performances in the Khelo India University Games.