Khel Ratna Award 2025, Check List of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

In 2025, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award was conferred upon four exceptional athletes who demonstrated remarkable performance in their respective sports. Khel Ratna Award 2025, Check List of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

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The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honour in India, awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. It recognizes outstanding achievements by Indian athletes over four years. The award is named after the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, who is considered one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

The Khel Ratna Award was instituted in 1991-92 to honour sports personalities for their outstanding and most remarkable performance in the field of sports. The recipients of this prestigious award receive a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize. As of 2025, the cash prize associated with the award is Rs 25 lakh.

Khel Ratna Awardees 2025

In 2025, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award was conferred upon four exceptional athletes who demonstrated remarkable performance in their respective sports. Below is the list of the Khel Ratna Awardees for the year:

Name	Sport	Achievements
Ankita Raina	Tennis	First Indian woman to win a Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open.
Neeraj Chopra	Javelin Throw	Gold medal at the World Athletics Championships.
Mirabai Chanu	Weightlifting	Multiple medals at international championships, including gold at the Asian Games.
R Praggnanandhaa	Chess	Youngest-ever player to reach the Candidates Tournament and secured silver at the Chess Olympiad.

Benefits of Khel Ratna Award

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award holds significant value in encouraging athletes to strive for excellence. It not only recognizes their hard work and dedication but also motivates upcoming sports talents to perform better. The award has played a crucial role in elevating the status of sports in India and promoting a culture of athleticism and competitive spirit.

List of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

Year	Athlete	Sport
1991-92	Vishwanathan Anand	Chess
1992-93	Geet Sethi	Billiards
1993-94	Homi Motivala	Yachting
1993-94	PK Garg	Yachting
1994-95	Karnam Malleshwari	Weightlifting
1995-96	Nameirakpam Kunjarani	Weightlifting
1996-97	Leander Paes	Tennis
1997-98	Sachin Tendulkar	Cricket
1998-99	Jyotirmoyee Sikdar	Athletics
1999-00	Dhanraj Pillay	Hockey
2000-01	Pullela Gopichand	Badminton
2001	Abhinav Bindra	Shooting
2002	KM Beenamol	Athletics
2002	Anjali Bhagwat	Shooting
2003	Anju Bobby George	Athletics
2004	Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore	Shooting
2005	Pankaj Advani	Billiards and Snooker
2006	Manavjit Singh Sandhu	Shooting
2007	MS Dhoni	Cricket
2009	Mary Kom	Boxing
2009	Vijender Singh	Boxing
2009	Sushil Kumar	Freestyle wrestling
2010	Saina Nehwal	Badminton
2011	Gagan Narang	Shooting
2012	Vijay Kumar	Shooting
2012	Yogeshwar Dutt	Freestyle wrestling
2013	Ronjan Sodhi	Shooting
2015	Sania Mirza	Tennis
2016	PV Sindhu	Badminton
2016	Dipa Karmakar	Gymnastics
2016	Jitu Rai	Shooting
2016	Sakshi Malik	Freestyle wrestling
2017	Devendra Jhajaria	Para-athletics
2017	Sardara Singh	Hockey
2018	Saikhom Mirabai Chanu	Weightlifting
2018	Virat Kohli	Cricket
2019	Deepa Malik	Para-athletics
2019	Bajrang Punia	Freestyle wrestling
2020	Rohit Sharma	Cricket
2020	Mariyappan Thangavelu	Para-athletics
2020	Manika Batra	Table tennis
2020	Vinesh Phogat	Freestyle wrestling
2020	Rani Rampal	Hockey
2021	Neeraj Chopra	Athletics
2021	Ravi Kumar Dahiya	Freestyle wrestling
2021	Lovlina Borgohain	Boxing
2021	PR Sreejesh	Hockey
2021	Avani Lekhara	Paralympic shooting
2021	Sumit Antil	Para-athletics
2021	Pramod Bhagat	Para-badminton
2021	Krishna Nagar	Para-badminton
2021	Manish Narwal	Shooting Para Sport
2021	Mithali Raj	Cricket
2021	Sunil Chhetri	Football
2021	Manpreet Singh	Hockey
2022	Sharath Kamal	Table tennis
2023	Chirag Shetty	Badminton
2023	Satwiksairaj Rankireddy	Badminton
2024	Praveen Kumar	Para-athletics
2024	Manu Bhaker	Shooting
2024	D. Gukesh	Chess
2024	Harmanpreet Singh	Hockey
2025	Ankita Raina	Tennis
2025	Neeraj Chopra	Javelin Throw
2025	Mirabai Chanu	Weightlifting
2025	R Praggnanandhaa	Chess

Conclusion

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award continues to be a symbol of excellence in Indian sports. The 2025 awardees have set new benchmarks with their outstanding performances, inspiring millions of aspiring athletes across the country. The recognition of their efforts serves as a testament to their dedication and the growing prominence of India on the global sports stage.

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Khel Ratna Award 2025 FAQs

Is Rajiv Gandhi's Khel Ratna Award given every year?

Formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, it is bestowed annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to honor exceptional accomplishments in sports.

Who is the first cricketer to receive Rajiv Gandhi's Khal Ratna Award?

As of 2020, four cricketers have been awarded the highest sporting award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. The first recipient was Sachin Tendulkar.

Who won the KHEL Ratna Award in 2024?

National Sports Awards 2024 winners - full list Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker, Harmanpreet Singh, chess world champion Gukesh D and para-athlete Praveen Kumar have been named recipients of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, as announced on Thursday in the National Sports Awards 2024 list.