2024 was a landmark year for Indian sports, with athletes bringing immense pride to the nation, from the Paris Olympics to the World Championships. In 2025, these exceptional players will be recognised with the prestigious Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards. Let’s explore the achievements of these athletes.

Khel Ratna Award Recipients

1. Manu Bhaker (Shooting)

Manu Bhaker brought pride to India by winning two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics 2024. She made history by securing two medals in a single Olympic Games.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Manu Bhaker (@bhakermanu)

2. Gukesh D (Chess)

On December 12, 2024, Gukesh made a remarkable impact in the world of chess. At the age of 18, he became the youngest player to be crowned World Champion.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gukesh (@gukesh.official)

3. Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey)

Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh played a pivotal role in guiding India to a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. He scored 10 goals during the tournament, emerging as a new star in Indian hockey.

 

4. Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics)

Praveen Kumar won the gold medal in high jump (T64) at the Paris Olympics 2024, breaking the Asian record. Competing with his prosthetic legs, he became an inspiration for athletes worldwide.

 

 

Lifetime Arjuna Award

Two athletes have been included in the lifetime category of the Arjuna Award: Murlikant Petkar (Para-Swimmer) and Sucha Singh (Athletics). Murlikant, India’s first para gold medalist, has inspired many, and a film has been made on his life. Sucha Singh, with numerous national and international medals to her name, has also earned a place in the lifetime category.

Arjuna Award for These 32 Players

Jyothi Yarraji and Annu Rani (Athletics)
Neetu and Sweetie (Boxing)
Vantika Agrawal (Chess)
Sanjay, Salima Tete, Abhishek, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh (Hockey)
Rakesh Kumar (Para-Archery)
Preeti Pal, Jeevanji Deepti, Ajit Singh, Sachin Sarjerao Khilari, Dharamvir, Pranav Surma, H Hokato Sema, Simran G and Navdeep (Para Athletics)
Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Nithya Sri Sumathi Sivan and Manisha Ramadass (Para-Badminton)
Kapil Parmar (Para-Judo)
Mona Agarwal, Rubina Francis, Swapnil Suresh Kusale, Sarabjot Singh (Para-Shooting)
Abhay Singh (Squash)
Sajan Prakash (Swimming)
Aman (Wrestling)