Sania Mirza ranked World No.1 in women’s doubles, created history as the sports ministry confirmed that Sania Mirza will be awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour.
- The Government also announced the Arjuna Awards 2015.There are 17 sportspersons in the list of winners of 2015 Arjuna Awards.
- Selection Committee headed by Justice V.K. Bali, former Chief Justice of Kerala High Court selected the awardees as there are large numbers of nominations was received for these awards this year.
Arjuna Awards 2015 winners:
- P R Sreejesh (Hockey)
- Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics)
- Jitu Rai (Shooting)
- Sandeep Kumar (Archery)
- Mandeep Jangra (Boxing)
- Babita (Wrestling)
- Bajrang (Wrestling)
- Rohit Sharma (Cricket)
- K Srikanth (Badminton)
- Swarn Singh Virk (Rowing)
- Satish Sivalingam (Weightlifting)
- Yumnam Santhoi Devi (Wushu)
- Sharath Gaekwad (Para-sailing)
- M R Poovamma (Athletics)
- Manjeet Chhillar (Kabaddi)
- Abhilasha Mhatre (Kabaddi)
- Anup Kumar Yama (Rollerskating).
On August 29, 2015 on National Sports Day, President Pranab Mukherjee will award the awardees all the awards.
Khel Ratna Award:
• The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (RGKR) is India’s highest honor given for achievement in sports, given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, government of India.
• The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India.
• It carries a medal, a scroll of honour and a substantial cash component. Up to 2004–05, the cash component was Rs. 5,00,000. In 2005, the money has been increased from Rs. 5,00,000 to Rs. 7,50,000.
Arjuna Award:
• The Arjuna Awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll.
• To be eligible for the Award, a sportsperson should not only have had good performance consistently for the previous three years at the international level with excellence for the year for which the Award is recommended, but should also have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
