Hockey India has recommended P.R. Sreejesh for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for 2019.
Having made his national team debut in 2006, the 30-year-old has over 200 caps for the team and was awarded the Arjuna in 2015. In 2017, he was conferred with the Padma Shri as well.
Sreejesh, if he wins it, will become only the third sportsperson from Kerala and from hockey to receive the prestigious award.
Chinglensana Singh Kangujam and Akashdeep Singh have been recommended for the Arjuna Award, as has been veteran defender and one of the key players of the women’s team, Deepika Thakur. While Chinglensana has been part of the Indian team since 2011, the 24-year old Akashdeep has led the Indian attack since 2012.
Deepika, meanwhile, has been a vital cog in the women's team defence for more than a decade and was named Hockey India’s Player of the Year in 2016.
The federation has also recommended R.P. Singh and Sandeep Kaur for the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement and coaches Baljeet Singh, B.S. Chauhan and Romesh Pathania for the Dronacharya.
Neeraj for Khel Ratna; Arpinder for Arjuna
Press Trust of India adds: The Athletics Federation of India has nominated javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award.
The 21-year-old Neeraj was given the Arjuna Award last year after he won a gold in the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. He was also nominated for the Khel Ratna Award last year but was considered only for the Arjuna Award.
Five other track and field athletes have been nominated for Arjuna Awards.
They are Asian Games gold winners Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (shot put), Arpinder Singh (triple jump), Manjit Singh (800m) and Swapna Barman (heptathlon), as well as Dutee Chand (silver in 100m and 200m).