Team Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma is amongst 4 other sports personalities who will be prested with the 2020 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Other than Rohit, table tennis star Manika Batra, India hockey women's skipper Rani Rampal, Asian Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogat and Paralympic gold medalist Mariappan Thangavelu will also be crowned with India's highest sporting honour.
While Rohit has been recognized for his accomplishments with the bat, Vinesh has been in the eye for her gold medals in the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games. She had even won bronze in the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships.
As for Thangavelu got the recognition for his gold medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the T42 high jump category.
The committee which includes Virender Sehwag and former hockey captain Sardar Singh met at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters in New Delhi.
This is the second time since 2016 that four athletes have been finalised for the award. In 2016, shuttler P V Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shooter Jitu Rai, and wrestler Sakshi Malik were given the top honours.
Full list of Sports awards:
- RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD: Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan T, Manika Batra, Vinesh Phogat and Rani Rampal
