Wrestler Bajrang Punia and Para-athlete Deepa Malik have been nominated for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna on Saturday. Meanwhile India cricketer Ravindra Jadeja has been nominated for the Arjuna Award and he is one of the 19 sportspersons who have been nominated for this prestigious award.
Current number one wrestler Punia stamped his authority in the Asian circuit after he won the Asian Wrestling Championships in Xi’an, China. Punia recently defended his title at the Tbilisi Grand Prix as he won the gold medal by prevailing over Iran’s Peiman Bibyani in the 65kg final of the men’s free style competition.
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Para-olympics silver medallist shot putter Deepa Malik too has been nominated for Khel Ratna. Malik is the first Indian woman to earn a medal at the Paralympic Games and has won 58 national and 23 international medals. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri and Arjuna award. Moreover, she has entered the Limca Book of World Records four times.
Jadeja, who has been nominated for the Arjuna Award, has played 156 ODIs, 42 T20Is and 41 Tests for India and has scored 2128, 135 and 1485 runs in three formats respectively. He has also scalped 178 wickets in ODIs, 192 in Tests and 32 in T20Is for Team India. Recently, Jadeja almost powered India into World Cup final but his fighting half-century went in vain as India were edged by New Zealand in the semis.
{{/usCountry}}Jadeja, who has been nominated for the Arjuna Award, has played 156 ODIs, 42 T20Is and 41 Tests for India and has scored 2128, 135 and 1485 runs in three formats respectively. He has also scalped 178 wickets in ODIs, 192 in Tests and 32 in T20Is for Team India. Recently, Jadeja almost powered India into World Cup final but his fighting half-century went in vain as India were edged by New Zealand in the semis.
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Last year, Indian cricket team skipper Virat Kohli and weightlifter Mirabai Chanu were awarded with the Khel Ratna Award. The first recipient of the award was Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, who was honoured for his performance in the year 1991-92.
((With agency inputs))