Today, January 2, 2025, India's Sports Ministry has announced that Olympic shooter Manu Bhaker, chess prodigy D Gukesh, men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, and para-athlete Praveen Kumar will be honored with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award on January 17, 2025, at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Manu Bhaker is the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympics, creating history by winning bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event and another in the mixed team event in the 10m air pistol along with Sarabjot Singh during the Paris Olympics 2024. 18-year-old Gukesh broke Garry Kasparov's record to become the youngest World Champion, while men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh led the team to secure bronze at the Olympics 2024, and Praveen Kumar clinched the T64 high-jump title at the Paris Paralympics.
The Ministry announced 32 recipients for the Arjuna Award, including 17 para-athletes. National Sports Awards recognize excellence in sports, including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for exceptional performances over four years, the Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in sports and games, and the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) for athletes.
