Odia international hockey star, Deep Grace Ekka, has been recommended for the prestigious Arjuna Award 2022.
As per sources, the National Sports Awards Selection Committee has recommended Ekka for the second-highest sporting honour of India.
Ekka was the member of Indian women’s hockey team that won bronze medal in this year’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games. The ace defender also represented the Indian team that won medals in 2014 and 2018 Asian Games. She was also part of the title-winning Indian team in 2016 Women’s Asian Champions Trophy and 2017 Asia Cup Hockey.
Table Tennis champion and multi-time Commonwealth Games medalist Achanta Sharath Kamal has been nominated for the prestigious Khel Ratna award this year.
It is India’s highest sporting honour given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It was rechristened from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award last year.
Apart from this, 25 players earned recommendations for Arjuna Awards. Some of the players include badminton star Lakshya Sen, boxing champion Nikhat Zareen, boxer Amit Panghal and triple jumper Eldhose Paul, who are all gold medalists from CWG 2022, have been recommended for the award.
List of Indian athletes recommended for Arjuna Award 2022
Seema Punia (athletics), Eldhose Paul (athletics), Avinash Sable (athletics), Lakshya Sen (badminton), HS Prannoy (badminton), Amit Panghal (boxing), Nikhat Zareen (boxing), Bhakti Kulkarni (chess), R Praggnanandha (chess), Deep Grace Ekka (hockey), Shushila Devi (judo), Sakshi Kumari (kabaddi), Nayan Moni Saikia (lawn bowls), Sagar Ovhalkar (mallakhamb), Elavenil Valarivan (shooting), Om Prakash Mitharval (shooting), Sreeja Akula (table tennis), Vikas Thakur (weightlifting), Anshu Malik (wrestling), Sarita Mor (wrestling), Parveen (wushu), Manashi Joshi (para badminton), Tarun Dhillon (para badminton), Swapnil Patil (para swimming), Jerlin Anika J (deaf badminton).