Rohit, Vinesh, Rampal among five Khel Ratna awardees

This is the first time in the history of awards that five athletes have been recommended for the top sporting accolade with the final decision resting on sports minister Kiren Rijiju.

Cricketer Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal and table tennis star Manika Batra besides para athlete Mariyappan Thangavelu were recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna by the Sports Awards Committee on Tuesday.

India's Rohit Sharma raises his bat. File image. (AP)

Never before has India’s highest sporting honour been bestowed on five athletes though ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was not one of them. Chopra won the 2018 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games titles and then made an injury comeback to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

Till now, an exception of the award being given to more than two had been made only in an Olympics year. After the 2016 Rio Games, four were awarded the Khel Ratna. Badminton silver medallist PV Sindhu, wrestling bronze medallist Sakshi Malik and gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who captured the imagination of the country with an impressive fourth-place finish in vault and pistol shooter Jitu Rai, who had been a top-notch performer at international level.

The sports ministry had allowed self-nomination for the Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards this year due to the pandemic, which led to a large number of applications. Around 40 sportspersons applied for the Khel Ratna. Besides Chopra, fellow track athlete Hima Das, shuttler Kidambi Shrikanth and shooter Apurvi Chandela missed out.

Rohit, ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year (2019), is the fourth cricketer to be selected for the Khel Ratna, after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and skipper Virat Kohli.

Vinesh made a stunning comeback from a serious knee injury she suffered at the Rio Olympics, winning gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games and bronze at the world championships last year, where she also confirmed her qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.

Vinesh had missed out twice earlier and reluctantly applied this time.

“My husband (Somvir) filled the form. I did not want to apply… when you know you are deserving and you don’t get, it hurts a lot more,” she said. “I was not expecting this time too. It is a pleasant surprise. I am very happy; it’s a big moment in my career to be clubbed with the greatest sportspersons of the country.”

She recalled going on a wheelchair after the Rio injury to receive the Arjuna award to a standing ovation at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. “I could not enjoy that moment because I was in pain. I did not know where my career was headed… I didn’t even want to go for the ceremony,” Vinesh said. “I am lucky I’ve got a second chance to savour the moment.”

“The Khel Ratna has added to my responsibility. When you win an award like this, you know you are being looked upon to win a medal at the Olympics.”

MANIKA’S FIRST

Manika Batra is the first table tennis player to be chosen for the Khel Ratna. She shot into prominence at 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, winning a phenomenal four medals, including the women’s individual and team gold. She won the mixed doubles bronze at the Asian Games that followed.

Under Rani Rampal, the hockey team won silver in Jakarta. She also helped the team qualify for the Tokyo Olympics at the 2019 Women’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers. Para high jumper Thangavelu won gold at the Rio Paralympics and bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships last year. He won the Arjuna Award in 2017.

The awards function this year is likely to be held virtually by President Ram Nath Kovind. “The ceremony will be conducted as is being done every year but the awardees will be present online. The awards will be handed later,” informed a source.