Manu Bhaker and D Gukesh Receive Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

Double Olympic-medallist shooter Manu Bhaker and teenage chess world champion D Gukesh were the center of attention at the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The two young athletes received a euphoric round of applause as they walked up to receive the award from President Droupadi Murmu.

Joining them in receiving the country’s highest sporting honor were men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Praveen Kumar. Harmanpreet, who was part of the national hockey teams that won bronze medals in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, and Praveen, who upgraded his silver in Tokyo to a gold in Paris, were recognized for their outstanding achievements.

A total of 32 athletes were honored with the Arjuna Award, with an unprecedented 17 para-athletes among the recipients. The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied athletes in the list of winners, reflecting their remarkable performance at the Paris Paralympics where they brought home 29 medals.

Manu Bhaker, at just 22 years old, made history as the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics, with her bronze-winning performances in the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Gukesh became the youngest world chess champion ever by defeating China’s Ding Liren last month, following in the footsteps of the legendary Viswanathan Anand.

The annual honours are awarded based on a points system that places a strong emphasis on performances at the Olympics and World Championships. The recognition of these young and talented athletes serves as a testament to their hard work, dedication, and exceptional achievements in their respective sports.