NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Khel Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has been chosen for the 1997-98 Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, while former India hockey captain Harmik Singh, athlete Reeth Abraham, cricketers Ajay Jadeja and Saurav Ganguly are among the 20 sportspersons who have been selected for the prestigious Arjuna Awards.

National junior coach Joginder Singh Saini will receive the coveted Dronacharya Award.

Tendulkar,who has played a pivotal role in several Indian victories in recent times with his scintillating batting is the first cricketer to receive the Khel Ratna Award which was instituted in 1991-'92.

The award carries a cash amount of Rs 100,000 besides a scroll of honour, and a plaque.

Saini, who has produced several leading athletes for the country, was senior national coach till a few years ago. He is now coaching the juniors.

The Dronacharya Award, instituted in 1985, carries a cash prize of Rs 75,000, a statuette of the legendary archery guru Dronacharya and a scroll.

Veteran half back Harmik Singh, who led the Indian team in the 1972 Munich Olympics, and forward Surinder Singh Sodhi, who was a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympic gold medal winning squad, are the two hockey players in line for the Arjuna.

Former national long jump champion Reeth Abraham is the lone athlete who figures in the list of awardees. Reeth at present runs a coaching centre, Sure, along with husband Sunil Abraham in Bangalore.

Former India football captain and goalkeeper Brahamanad Shankwalkar and captain of the 1990 Beijing Asian Games gold medal winning kabbadi team Randhir Singh, former Davis Cupper Asif Ismail, veteran weightlifters Paramjit Sharma and N Laxmi also figure in the list of awardees.

The Arjuna Awards, instituted in 1961, carry a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll.

The President will give away the awards at a function to be held here on august 29.