After a brilliant show at Rio Olympics 2016, President Pranab Mukherjee conferred the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award today to P V Sindhu, Sakshi Malik,Dipa Karmakar along with ace shooter Jitu Rai. The President also conferred Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Purushkar (Identification and nurturing of young talent) to Hockey Citizen Group, Dadar Parsee Zorostrian cricket club, Usha School of Athletics, STAIRS. The day is celebrated to respect and honour hockey legend Major Dhyanchand Singh who was born on this day (August 29). It is officially declared as National Sports Day. Arjuna Award was also given to 15 sportspersons which included the likes of Olympian runner Lalita Babar, cricketer Ajinkya Rahane, boxer Shiva Thapa and wrestler Vinesh Phogat. The Dronacharya Award – given to coaches of high achieving sportspersons and for their contribution to nurturing talent – was given to Nagapuri Ramesh for Athletics, Sagar Mal Dhayal for Boxing and Raj Kumar Sharma for Cricket.

 

Karmakar’s coach Bishweshwar Nandi also received the award. While the Dhyanchand Award was given to Athlete Satti Geetha, hockey player Sylvanus Dung Dung and Rower Rajendra Pralhad Shelke. For the first time in the history of National Sports Awards, four athletes were chosen for the Khel Ratna honour, owing to the three girls’ superlative show at the Rio Olympics. In 2009, three athletes boxers Vijender Singh and M C Mary Kom and wrestler Sushil Kumar had been given this award together.