World chess champion D Gukesh and double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker are among the four athletes honoured with the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards by the Indian President Droupadi Murmu on Friday (Jan 17) in New Delhi. All four, including Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Praveen Kumar, Paris Paralympics gold medalist, received a rousing reception at the National Sports Day ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

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While these four bagged India’s highest sporting honour at the event, 32 athletes across several disciplines won the Arjuna Awards.

Also read | India's chess prodigy Gukesh advocates Olympics inclusion of the sport

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Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker created history at last year’s Summer Games in Paris, becoming the first-ever Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition, winning bronze in two separate disciplines at the Paris Olympics 2024. Overcoming the disappointment she endured at the last Games in Tokyo (returning empty-handed), Manu made headlines three years later.

On the other hand, D Gukesh, 18, created history elsewhere, becoming the youngest world chess champion. The Chennai-born Indian chess grandmaster beat the defending champion Ding Liren from China in the World Championship Final in Singapore last year.

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Talking of champions, Indian hockey star Harmanpreet Singh, under whom India defended their Olympic bronze at the Paris Games 2024, was also honoured with the top prize. 

Para-athletes – on the top of the world!

Perhaps for the first time, the para-athletes outnumbered able-bodied ones on the list of athletes to win most Arjuna Awards for their outstanding performance at the Paris Paralympics 2024, where India finished with 29 medals, including seven golds, finishing at the 18th spot. 

Meanwhile, two other medalists, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, both won silver and bronze in shooting, respectively, won the Arjuna Awards.

Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, the first Indian para-athlete to win a medal, also received the honorary Arjuna Award. 

(With inputs from agencies)