New Delhi, Dec 25: Two time Olympic medallist and Indian men’s hockey vice captain Hardik Singh has been nominated for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, according to Olympics.com. This marks the second consecutive year that no Indian cricketer has been included in the shortlist for the country’s highest sporting honour. Notably, pace veteran Mohammed Shami had received the Arjuna Award in 2023.
The list of nominations was finalised on Wednesday by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Gagan Narang, Moscow 1980 Olympic gold medallist M.M. Somaya, and former badminton star Aparna Popat.
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is presented annually by the President of India and is the highest sporting recognition for an Indian athlete. Hardik, 27, made his senior international debut in 2018 and was a key member of India’s bronze medal-winning teams at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He has played 164 international matches and won back-to-back Hockey India Player of the Year awards in 2022 and 2023, in addition to being named FIH Player of the Year in 2023 and receiving the Arjuna Award in 2021.
Hardik was also instrumental in India’s gold medal winning campaigns at the Asia Cup 2025, the Asian Champions Trophy 2023, and the Asian Games, helping secure qualification for next year’s Hockey World Cup.
Six hockey players have previously received the Khel Ratna: Dhanraj Pillay (1999-2000), Sardar Singh (2017), Rani Rampal (2020), P.R. Sreejesh (2021), Manpreet Singh (2021), and Harmanpreet Singh (2024).
This year’s nominations for the Arjuna Award include athletes across disciplines, such as Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Vidit Gujrathi (Chess), Rajkumar Pal (Hockey), Aarti Pal (Yogasana) the first ever yogasana athlete nominated and Treesa Jolly (Badminton), among others. Nominees for the Dronacharya Award and the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award are expected to be announced later.