Satwik-Chirag to receive Khel Ratna, Mohd Shami confirmed for Arjuna Award

The Sports Ministry confirmed on December 20 that it will confer prestigious awards to sportspersons across various disciplines ranging from the Khel Ratna to the Arjuna awards.

Badminton champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are all set to be awarded the Khel Ratna after winning the Asian Games gold earlier this year.

Chirag and Satwik are Asian Games gold medallists, World Championships bronze winners and Commonwealth Games silver medallists.

Meanwhile, Team India's ace speedster Mohammed Shami will receive the Arjuna Award following his excellent performance in the Cricket World Cup.

Shami was the leading wicket-taker in the World Cup, with 24 wickets to his name in seven outings.

The awards will be conferred on the athletes by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9.

The athletes selected for this year's Arjuna award include hockey players Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Sushila Chanu, archers Ojas Pravin Deotale and Aditi Gopichand Swami, boxer Mohammad Hussamuddin, chess player R Vaishali, golfer Diksha Dagar, shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Esha Singh, wrestlers Antim Panghal and Sunil Kumar, paddler Ayhika Mukherjee and para archer Sheetal Devi, among others.