Rohit Sharma will be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award while fellow India teammate Ishant Sharma is among 27 sportspersons, who will get the Arjuna Award, the sports ministry announced on Friday. Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit was among five sportspersons to be honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour in the country. Table Tennis star Manika Batra, Asian Games gold medal-winning medallist Vinesh Phogat, para-athlete Mariappan Thangavelu and Indian women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal are the other sports stars who will be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Rohit will, therefore, become only the fourth Indian cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli to be conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Tendulkar, who received it in 1998, was the first Indian cricketer to be given the award. Dhoni won it in 2007 while Kohl was given the award in 2018.

Rohit Sharma, Vinesh Phogat Among Five to Get Rajiv Khel Ratna Award

Vinesh Phogat, who is the first Indian woman wrestler to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games, will be recognised for her winning performances in both the continental events and also for the bronze medal at the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championship.

Paddler Manika Batra will be honoured for her remarkable performances in 2018 when she won gold at the Commonwealth Games and a bronze medal in singles at the Asian Games. Para-athlete Thangavelu won gold in high-jump at the 2016 Rio Paralympics. Women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal will become the first-ever women’s hockey player to win the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. She is also only the third hockey player to be given the prestigious honour.

Arjuna Award 2020 Winners

Indian pacer Ishant Sharma was among the 27 sportspersons to be given the Arjuna award. Teenage shooting sensations Saurabh Chaudhary and Manu Bhaker were also among those announced for the award as was sprinter Dutee Chand, footballer Sandesh Jhingan and women’s cricketer Deepti Sharma.

The Arjuna Award winner will be given a cash prize of Rs 5, 00, 000; a scroll and a bronze statue while the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award winner will be given a medal, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2020 05:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).