Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh among Khel Ratna award recipients
What's the story
Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic medalist, and world chess champion D Gukesh will be awarded the coveted Khel Ratna award on January 17.
They will be joined by the Indian men's hockey team skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympian Praveen Kumar in the prestigious honor.
The awards will be presented at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi by President Droupadi Murmu.
Here are further details.
Controversy details
Bhaker's initial omission from Khel Ratna nominees sparked controversy
Bhaker's exclusion from the Khel Ratna nominees had sparked a controversy in the first place.
Her father and coach Ram Kishan Bhaker and Jaspal Rana respectively, had expressed disappointment over the oversight.
They had criticized the sporting authorities for ignoring her achievements in an Olympic year.
However, Bhaker later clarified she wasn't concerned with awards but focused on winning more medals for India.
Athlete's perspective
Bhaker's achievements and response to Khel Ratna nomination issue
Bhaker had clinched a bronze medal each in the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events at the Paris Olympics.
She became the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals in an edition of the Olympic Games since Independence.
Addressing the controversy over her Khel Ratna nomination, Bhaker had said on Instagram, "As an athlete, my role is to play and perform for my country."
Other awardees
Historic achievements of Gukesh, Harmanpreet
Gukesh made history in December as he became the youngest world champion in classical chess after defeating China's Ding Liren in December.
Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Singh had led India to their second successive bronze medal in men's hockey at the Olympics earlier this year.
Both of them have now earned a place among the Khel Ratna awardees.
Paralympic triumph
Paralympian Praveen Kumar's gold-winning performance
Another Khel Ratna awardee, Praveen Kumar, won the gold medal in the High Jump T 64 event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
His stellar performance has also earned him recognition alongside Bhaker, Gukesh, and Singh.
The National Sports Awards mark the celebration of sporting excellence in India. The 'Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award' is awarded for outstanding performances in sports over four years.