Cricketer Rohit Sharma has been selected for India’s highest sporting award – The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award along with four others.
Rohit Sharma, was chosen for the most coveted sporting award on Friday along with para-athlete Mariappan Thangavelu, table tennis champion Manika Batra, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and hockey player Rani Rampal were finalised to get the prestigious award.
On the other hand, Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain, along with 26 other sportspersons, has been selected for Arjuna Award.
Lovlina is the first woman from Assam to qualify for the Olympics.
After Shiva Thapa she is and the second boxer from the state to represent the country at the Olympics.
Earlier, Lovlina won a gold medal at the 1st India Open International Boxing Tournament held in New Delhi and a silver medal at the 2nd India Open International Boxing Tournament held in Guwahati.
She won a bronze medal at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships held in Ulan-Ude, Russia. Lovlina was born on 2 October 1997, and hails from Golaghat district of Assam.
Before Rohit, only three more Indian cricketers – Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli have received India’s highest sporting honour.
All the sportspersons will receive the awards on August 29 – which is also celebrated as National Sports Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.
This year, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony is likely to be held virtually.
Complete list of Arjuna awardees:
1. Atanu Das (Archery)
2. Shiva Keshavan (Luge)
3. Dutee Chand (Athletics)
4. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (Badminton)
5. Chirag Shetty (Badminton)
6. Vishesh Bhrighuvanshi (Basketball)
7. Ishant Sharma (Cricket)
8. Deepti Sharma (Cricket)
9. Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing)
10. Manish Kaushik (Boxing)
11. Sawant Ajay Anant (Equestrian)
12. Sandhesh Jhingan (Football)
13. Aditi Ashok (Golf)
14. Akashdeep Singh (Hockey)
15. Deepika Thakur (Hockey)
16. Deepak Niwas Hooda (Kabaddi)
17. Sarika Kale (Kho-kho)
18. Suyash Jadhav (Para-Swimming)
19. Manish narwal (Para-Shooting)
20. Sandeep Chaudhary (Para-Athletics)
21. Saurabh Chaudhary (Shooting)
22. Manu Bhaker (Shooting)
23. Sanil Shetty (Table-Tennis)
24. Divij Sharan (Tennis)
25. Divya Kakran (Wrestling)
26. Rahul Aware (Wrestling)
27. Dattu Bhokanal (Rowing)