Bhubaneswar: Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS), Government of Odisha, has recommended para-shuttler, Pramod Bhagat, for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Deep Grace Ekka, vice-captain of Indian women’s hockey team, for Arjuna Award, for the year 2021.
“Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS), Government of Odisha, has recommended the names of Odia para shuttler Pramod Bhagat and vice-captain Deep Grace Ekka for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award respectively, for the year 2021,” an official statement read.
<>
DSYS has recommended the names of #Odia para shuttler @PramodBhagat83 and current @TheHockeyIndia‘s vice-captain Deep Grace Ekka for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Award respectively, for the year 2021.
Good luck to both! ?? pic.twitter.com/PLbCypO7z8
— Odisha Sports (@sports_odisha) July 5, 2021
</>
Earlier, the Odisha government had recommended sprinter Dutee Chand for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award and Birendra Lakra for Arjun Puraskar, 2021.
Similarly, Hockey Coach Kalu Charan Choudhury had been recommended for Dronacharya Award.
The State government had also recommended ex-Olympian Anuradha Biswal for this year’s Dhyan Chand Award.
National Sports Awards which include the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the Arjuna award, the Dronacharya award, and the Dhyan Chand award, are conferred on athletes every year by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29, the National Sports Day.
