Harmanpreet, Pujara recommended for Arjuna

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 29

BCCI has recommended Cheteshwar Pujara and Harmanpreet Kaur for this year's Arjuna Award to be conferred on August 29 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

However, no cricketer's name has been forwarded by BCCI to the Sports Ministry for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. Last year, India's captain in all the three formats Virat Kohli's name was recommended for the Khel Ratna but the selection committee did not consider him for the honour. Kohli's teammate, Ajinkya Rahane, though, had received the Arjuna Award. Last month, Kohli was conferred with the Padma Shri award, along with seven other eminent sports personalities, by President Pranab Mukherjee.

By nominating Pujara for the Arjuna Award, BCCI has rewarded 'Mr Dependable' for his rich vein of form in which he emerged as the leading run-getter of the season with 1316 runs at an average of 62.66. Pujara broke the record for most runs in a Test season by an Indian batsman. 

India's T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been recommended for her consistent performance in the year 2016, which saw her leading the Indian eves at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at home. 

Ratna for Paralympics medallists 

Meanwhile, the Ministry has decided to nominate the Rio Paralympics medal winners for this year's Khel Ratna award. Bringing a change in its policy of awarding the country's highest sporting honour to Paralympics medallists, the Ministry has forwarded the names of Mariyappan Thangavelu (gold medallist in the men's T42 high jump), Devendra Jhajharia (gold medallist in the men's F46 javelin throw), Deepa Malik (silver medallist in the women's F53 shot put) and Varun Bhati (bronze medallist in the men's T42 high jump) to the selection committee.