 "Chess world champion D Gukesh, shooting sensation Manu Bhaker, and hockey star Harmanpreet Singh at the National Sports Awards ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday, 17 January. PTI")
Chess sensation D Gukesh and ace shooter Manu Bhaker were among four recipients of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in New Delhi on Friday. Indian men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-high jumper Praveen Kumar were the other athletes besides Bhaker and Gukesh who received the country’s highest sporting honour from President Droupadi Murmu at the at the National Sports Awards ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Gukesh had been crowned the youngest world champion in the history of chess last month after defeating Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren in Singapore last month. The 18-year-old Grandmaster was also only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the most prestigious competition in the sport.
Watch Gukesh receive the Khel Ratna award from the President here:
Bhaker, Harmanpreet and Praveen, meanwhile, were among standout performers in India’s Olympic and Paralympic campaigns in Paris last year.
Bhaker made history by winning two Olympic bronze medals in 10m air pistol – in the women’s individual event as well as in the mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh. The 22-year-old, in the process, became the first Indian post-Independence to win multiple medals in the same edition of the Olympics.
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More ShortsAce drag-flicker Harmanpreet, meanwhile, had played a key role in helping India win bronze in Paris by finishing as the top goal-scorer (10) in the tournament. It was the first time in more than 50 years that India won back-to-back Olympic medals in hockey, with the 29-year-old having helped the team win bronze in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Praveen, meanwhile, was one of seven gold medallists in India’s record-breaking campaign in the Paralympics – where they won a whopping 29 medals, 10 more than what they had managed in Tokyo 2020. The 21-year-old from Govindgarh, Uttar Pradesh had won gold in the men’s high jump T64 category by clearing 2.08 metres .
Besides the four Khel Ratna recipients, a total of 32 athletes received the Arjuna Award, including an unprecedented 17 para-athletes.