Virat Kohli, Mirabai Chanu recommended for the prestigious Khel Ratna
Virat Kohli and world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were today jointly recommended for this year's Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest sporting honor. The 29-year-old India cricket captain became second-time lucky after failing to get the selection committee's nod in 2016, a source in the awards selection committee said. Khel Ratna Award is given annually by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Kohli might become the third cricketer to receive the award
Kohli currently leads the ICC Test rankings for batsmen and has been in phenomenal form. He is regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world. If approved by Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, he will become the third cricketer to get the Khel Ratna after the legendary Sachin Tendulkar (1997) and the double world cup-winning skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2007).
Chanu won many hearts with her stellar performances
Chanu was recommended for the prestigious award following her gold medal in 48 kg category at the World Championships last year. She also bagged the yellow metal in this year's Commonwealth Games but didn't compete at the Asian Games due to injury. A source in the committee said that ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth's name has also been discussed.
