Virat, Mirabai picked for Khel Ratna : The Tribune India

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Virat, Mirabai picked for Khel Ratna

NEW DELHI:Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, the reigning world champion in the 48kg category, and Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli have been recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

Virat, Mirabai picked for Khel Ratna

Virat Kohli



Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 17

Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, the reigning world champion in the 48kg category, and Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli have been recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. Mirabai was the number one pick for the award while Kohli was the second choice of the awards committee members.

The 12-member awards committee, which was headed by Justice (Retd) Indermeet Kaur Kocchar, met here on Monday and finalised the list, which will be sent to the Sports Ministry for a final approval. After approval, President Ram Nath Kovind will present the awards in a ceremony on September 25.

Champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, tennis veteran Rohan Bopanna and table tennis star Manika Batra are among the 21 athletes whose names have been recommended for the Arjuna Awards this year.

The 21st name for the Arjuna Award is that of Sanjita Chanu, who will be rewarded subject to her clearing the dope violation hearing that is currently on against her. Sanjita, who is currently on a provisional suspension after failing a dope test during the 2017 World Championships, had approached the courts after she was ignored by the committee for the Arjuna Awards. Ruling on her petition, Justice Vibhu Bakhru wrote: “…In the event, if the selection committee is of the view that the petitioner is entitled to Arjuna Award 2018, the decision shall be kept in a sealed cover and her name shall be disclosed only if the petitioner is absolved of the charge of doping, which this court is informed is likely to take about an year.”

It is understood that Sanjita’s name was to be the 20th, but some the selection committee members requested that she should be the 21st nominee, so that the committee wouldn’t be blamed for denying the award to someone more worthy.

Amit, Seema not lucky

While Sanjita has got the benefit of the doubt for now, two others failed to get the nod because of prior doping offences.

Amit Panghal, who defeated reigning Olympics champion Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in the 49kg category to win the Asian Games gold medal in Jakarta, had  tested positive for a steroid in 2012, for which he served a ban of one year.

Discus thrower Seema Punia won medals at both Commonwealth and Asian Games this year but was not picked up for the Arjuna Award. She had tested positive for the stimulant pseudoephedrine during the 2000 World Junior Championships in Santiago and her medal was withdrawn.

One selection committee member put up the names of Panghal and Seema for the Arjuna Award, pointing out the case of Aparna Popat. Aparna had got the Arjuna Award in 2005 despite a dope violation in 2000, for which she had served a three-month ban. But the idea was shot down after a few of the members argued against it, and Justice Kocchar insisted on following the rules in both letter and spirit.

As per the awards guidelines, “sportspersons who have been penalised or against whom enquiry is pending/ongoing for use of drugs/substances banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) based on a sample collected by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) or any other agency authorised by WADA and tested by National Dope Testing Laboratory or any other WADA accredited laboratory, will not be eligible for the Award.”

Committee picks Shubhankar, Hima

Interestingly, golfer Shubhankar Sharma and athlete Hima Das were not part of the pruned list that was forwarded to the committee. The Indian Golf Union (IGU) had forwarded Sharma’s application but it was omitted mistakenly by those screening the lists as they were of the opinion that IGU was derecognised by the Sports Ministry. However, IGU has been given temporary relief by the Ministry till the end of this year. The Athletics Federation of India had not forwarded Hima’s name as it had already sent three other names.

The committee nominated Sharma and Hima directly as the members thought both were deserving candidates for the award.

No Fouad Mirza

Fouad Mirza, who made history after winning a silver medal in eventing individual jumping at the Asian Games, and also led the team to silver, was missing from the awards list. The Equestrian Federation of India had failed to send his application. Instead, polo player Ravi Rathore was recommended. Also missing out was serial winner in motorsports Gaurav Gill, and boxer Sonia Lather.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

Virat Kohli 

Age: 29

Sport: Cricket 

Recent achievements

ICC world No. 1 Test batsman 

2017 ICC Cricketer of the Year & ODI Cricketer of the Year

In the last two years, Kohli led India to Test series victories against England and Australia at home and away wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Mirabai Chanu

Age: 24

Sport: Weightlifting (48kg)

Recent achievements

Gold: 2017 World Championships; 2018 Commonwealth Games (Games record)

Arjuna Award 

Neeraj Chopra

Age: 20

Sport: Track & Field (Javelin Throw)

Recent achievements

Gold: 2018 Asian Games; 2018 Commonwealth Games 

Rohan Bopanna 

Age: 38

Sport: Tennis

Recent achievements

Gold: 2018 Asian Games (Men’s doubles)

Major title: 2017 French Open (Mixed doubles)

Hima Das 

Age: 18

Sport: Track & Field (400m; 200m)

Recent achievements

Gold: 2018 Asian Games (women’s 4X400m relay); 2018 World U20 Championships (400m)

Silver: 2018 Asian Games (Mixed 4X400m & 400m) 

Jinson Johnson (800 & 1500m)

N Sikki Reddy (Badminton)

Satish Kumar (Boxing)

Smriti Mandhana (Cricket)

Shubhankar Sharma (Golf)

Manpreet Singh (Hockey)

Savita Punia (Hockey)

Ravi Rathore (Polo)

Rahi Sarnobat (Shooting)

Ankur Mittal (Shooting)

Shreyashi Singh (Shooting)

Manika Batra (Table Tennis)

G Sathiyan (Table Tennis)

Sumit (Wrestling)

Pooja Kadian (Wushu)

Ankur Dhama (Para-athletics)

Manoj Sarkar (Para-badminton)

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