Apart from Neeraj, who became only the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold, silver medal-winning wrestler Ravi Dahiya and boxer Lovlina Borgohain, who won bronze, were recommended for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, the country’s highest sporting honour. Men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and women’s cricket side Test captain Mithali Raj were selected along with iconic footballer Sunil Chhetri. 

All five gold medallists from the Paralympics – Avani Lekhara (shooting), Manish Narwal (shooting), Sumit Antil (athletics), Pramod Bhagat (badminton) and Krishna Nagar (badminton) – made the cut in the list, which will now be sent to the Sports Ministry for approval. 

Three Olympic medallists – wrestler Bajrang Punia, shuttler PV Sindhu and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu – have already won the Khel Ratna award. The announcement of the national sports awards was delayed in order to consider the performances of para-athletes at the Tokyo Paralympics, which was held from August 24 to September 5. 

The committee also recommended 35 athletes for the Arjuna award. Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, fencer Bhavani Devi, para table tennis player Bhavinaben Patel, para shuttler Suhas Yathiraj and para high jumper Nishad Kumar are among those selected for the honour.