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- India honours its sporting best at dazzling National awards ceremony
India honours its sporting best at dazzling National awards ceremony
In a glittering function organised at the Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan here, the President recognised the country's unparalleled Olympic and Paralympic performances.
The event became an in-person affair this time after going online the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The star attraction of the evening was Chopra, who received his Khel Ratna award amid thunderous applause from the select dignitaries present on the specially organised function.
#WATCH दिल्ली: राष्ट्रपति रामनाथ कोविंद ने टोक्यो ओलंपिक में गोल्ड मेडल विजेता नीरज चोपड़ा को मेजर ध्यानचंद खेल र… https://t.co/OBueAY86kO
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) 1636802029000Olympian Neeraj Chopra receives Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award from President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bh… https://t.co/WmRP2XIV77
— ANI (@ANI) 1636801516000Chopra was the first among the Khel Ratna awardees to receive the honour.
Besides the 23-year-old star, other recipients of the Khel Ratna recognition, were Olympic bronze-winning Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Olympic silver-medallist wrestler Ravi Dahiya, Olympic bronze-winning boxer Lovlina Borgohain and Mithali.
Boxer Lovlina Borgohain, hockey player Sreejesh PR, para shooter Avani Lekhara and para-athlete Sumit Antil receive… https://t.co/GMpVCDwBOC
— ANI (@ANI) 1636802437000#WATCH | Wrestler Ravi Kumar receives Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award from President Ram Nath Kovind in New Delhi https://t.co/INCMBNrIDr
— ANI (@ANI) 1636801763000Sunil Chhetri became the first footballer to be bestowed the award, a well-deserved recognition for keeping pace with the likes of Lionel Messi in scoring international goals.
Paralympic gold-winners Avani Lekhara (Shooting), Sumit Antil (Athletics), Pramod Bhagat (Badminton), Krishna Nagar (Badminton), Manish Narwal (Shooting) were also given the Khel Ratna.
President Ram Nath Kovind confers Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2021 on Pramod Bhagat (para-badminton), Mithal… https://t.co/jEDj9OlV4q
— ANI (@ANI) 1636802943000Along with 12 Khel Ratnas, India this year has 35 Arjuna awardees. The long list this year was a result of the historic medal hauls at the Olympics (7) and Paralympics (19).
#WATCH | Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan receives Arjuna Award from President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New… https://t.co/FtJFhtbucX
— ANI (@ANI) 1636803369000President Ram Nath Kovind confers Arjuna Award 2021 on hockey players Monika & Vandana Katariya, Kabaddi player San… https://t.co/ywnKqLRhBf
— ANI (@ANI) 1636803981000The event is traditionally held on August 29 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
The Khel Ratna award carries a cash prize purse of Rs 25 lakh, a medal a scroll of honour.
The Arjuna award carries a prize money of Rs 15 lakh, a bronze statue and a scroll of honour.
Present at Saturday's ceremony was sports minister Anurag Thakur along with a host of other dignitaries, including his predecessor Kiren Rijiju.