Rani Rampal recommended for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

Indian women's hockey team skipper Rani Rampal has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

Indian women's hockey team skipper R Rampal has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

Earlier in the day, India's star batsman Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table tennis player Mka Batra and 2016 Paralympic gold medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu were also recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

"R Rampla has also been recommended for Khel Ratna," a source within the Sports Ministry told .

For Dronacharya Lifetime award, eight names have been recommended and they are as follows -- Dharmendra Tiwary (archery), Pursohattam Rai (athletics), Shiv Singh (women's boxing), Romesh Patha (men's hockey), KK Hooda (kabaddi), Vijay Munishwar (para powerlifting), Naresh Kumar (tennis), and O P Dahiya (wrestling).

With regards to the regular Dronacharya award, five names have been put forward -- Yogesh Malviya (Mallakhamb), Gaurav Khanna (para-badminton), Jaspal Rana (shooting), Kuldeep Handoo (wushu) and Jude Felix (hockey).

There are fifteen names which have been recommended for Dhyan Chand award -- Jincy Philips (athletics), Kuldeep Singh Bhullar (athletics), Trupti Murgunde (badminton), Pradeep Gandhe (badminton), N Usha (boxing), Lakha Singh (boxing), Sukhwinder Singh Sandhu (football), Ajeet Singh (hockey), Manpreet Singh (kabaddi), Manjeet Singh (rowing), Late Sachin Nag (swimming), Nandan Bal (tennis), Netar Pal Hooda (wrestling) and J Ranjit Kumar (para-athletics)

The National Sports Awards ceremony will take place virtually on August 29 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

National Sports Awards which include the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Arjuna award, the Dronacharya award, and the Dhyan Chand award, are conferred on athletes every year by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29, the National Sports Day.

However, this year, the names would be announced by President Ram Nath Kovind virtually.

( With inputs from ANI )