New Delhi: Youngest-ever World Chess Champion Gukesh D. and three other sportspersons have been selected to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024. 

While announcing the National Sports Awards 2024 today, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports stated Captain of the Indian Men’s Hockey team Harmanpreet Singh, Shooter and Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker and Paris Para-Olympics medalist Praveen Kumar are the other three sportspersons, who will be honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

President Droupadi Murmu will giveaway the Award to the awardees at a specially function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, 2025.

The ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over the period of the previous four years, stated the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 

As many as 32 athletes have been selected to receive the Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2024.

Two sportspersons will be honoured with the Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for outstanding performance in Sports and Games.

Five coaches in different disciplines will receive the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games.

The Physical Education Foundation of India will receive the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.

The Chandigarh University, Lovely Professional University (PB) and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar will be honoured with the Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024.