ESPN India Daily Blog: January 2, 2025 Updates and Khel Ratna Awards Announcement

The Sports Ministry announced the winners of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, with double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh among the recipients. The awards will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.

Bhaker, who won two medals at the Olympics, became the first athlete from independent India to achieve this feat. The other Khel Ratna winners for 2024 were men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar. The awardees will receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation and a medallion.

In addition to the Khel Ratna awards, the Sports Ministry also named 17 para-athletes in the list of 32 Arjuna awardees to honor their success at the Paris Paralympics. The list includes athletes like wrestler Aman Sehrawat, shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh, and members of the men’s hockey team.

The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied athletes in the list of Arjuna winners due to their outstanding performance at the Paris Paralympics, where they won 29 medals. The ministry also cleared three coaches for the Dronacharya award in the regular category.

Overall, it was a day of celebration for Indian sports as the achievements of these talented athletes were recognized and honored. Stay tuned for more updates from the world of Indian sports on ESPN India’s daily blog.