D Gukesh, Manu Bhaker among four finalised for Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

New Delhi: Chess world champion D Gukesh and Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker are among four athletes finalised for the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, according to Sports Ministry.

Men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Paralympic gold-winner Praveen Kumar will also get the prestigious award.

Gukesh, 18, displayed remarkable poise and nerves of steel to defeat China's Ding Liren in Singapore to become the youngest chess world champion, surpassing Russian great Garry Kasparov, who won the crown in 1985 at 22.

In August, Bhaker became independent India's first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events. Reports of her omission from the national honours evoked shock with her family insisting that application was duly submitted.

In the same Games, Hamranpreet led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal.

The fourth recipient will be para high-jumper Praveen, who was crowned the T64 champion in the Paris Paralympics.

The T64 classification is for athletes who have one or both legs missing below the knee and rely on a prosthetic leg for running.

"The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 (Friday) at 1100 hours," the sports ministry said in a press release.

Sports ministry names 32 athletes, including 17 para-athletes, for Arjuna awards.

The award selection committee is a 12-member panel headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramam. It includes former athletes like women's hockey captain Rani Rampal among others.