New Delhi: Ace Indian shooter Gagan Narang, who notched up four gold medals at last year’s Commonwealth Games, is all set to be conferred with the country’s highest sporting honour — the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna — after being recommended for the honour by the awards selection committee on Friday.
“Gagan Narang has been recommended for the Khel Ratna this year,” a source in the awards selection committee told PTI.
“The recommended names for the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardees have been sent to the Sports Ministry and it will be oficially announced after being approved by the Ministry,” the source said.
Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan has been picked for the Arjuna award. The 32-year-old fast bowler, who is currently in England for the ongoing Test series, has taken 271 wickets in cricket’s longer format at an average of 31.94.
Zaheer has 273 one-day wickets at an average of 28.84.
The other Arjuna awardees this year include Indian football captain and striker Sunil Chettri, rising tennis star Somdev Devvarman and ace badminton player Jwala Gutta.
Fly weight boxer Suranjoy Singh, who clinched an astonishing seven back-to-back gold medals last year including the Commonwealth Games gold, is also in the list of athletes recommended for the Arjuna.
The selection panel for the awards was headed by sprint legend P T Usha and comprised, among others, tennis ace Leander Paes, ace woman boxer M C Mary Kom, shooter Anjali Bhagwat. (PTI)
