Celebrated In: India
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award launched from the year 1991-92 with the objective of honoring most outstanding sports persons to enhance their general status and to give them great dignity and place of honor in society. The award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, who was killed in 1991.
The award carries a medal, a scroll of honor and a substantial cash component. Up to 2004-05, the cash component was Rs 5 lacks and it has now been increased to Rs 7.50 lacks, in the Year 2020 it was enhanced from 7.5 lakh to 25lakh.
The award is given for spectacular performance in the year under consideration, whether by an individual or a team, across all sporting disciplines. The awards are given by President of India. Some of the recipients of this award are Pullela Gopi Chand in badminton, Dhanraj Pillay in hockey, and Sachin Tendulkar in cricket.
Normally only one award of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is given every year to an individual sportsperson. However, the Scheme provides that this condition can be relaxed in exceptional circumstances viz., winning of an Olympic medal. Thus, in certain year’s more than one individual have been given this award.
|
Year of award |
Name of the Sportsperson |
Name of Sport |
|
|
|
|
|
2020 |
Rani Rampal (Joint Winner) |
Hockey (Women) |
|
2020 |
Vinesh Phogat (Joint Winner) |
Wrestling |
|
2020 |
Manika Batra (Joint Winner) |
Table Tennis |
|
2020 |
Mariyappan Thangavelu (Joint Winner) |
Paralympic High Jump |
|
2020 |
Rohit Sharma (Joint Winner) |
Cricket |
|
2019 |
Bajrang Punia (Joint Winner) |
Wrestling |
|
2019 |
Deepa Malik (Joint Winner) |
Paralympic (shot put, javelin, others) |
|
2018 |
Virat Kohli (Joint Winner) |
Cricket |
|
2018 |
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (Joint Winner) |
Weightlifting |
|
2017 |
Sardara Singh (Joint Winner) |
Hockey (Men) |
|
2017 |
Devendra Jhajharia (Joint Winner) |
Paralympic Javelin |
|
2016 |
Jitu Rai (Joint Winner) |
Shooting |
|
2016 |
Sakshi Malik (Joint Winner) |
Wrestling |
|
2016 |
Dipa Karmakar (Joint Winner) |
Gymnastics |
|
2016 |
P. V. Sandhu (Joint Winner) |
Badminton |
|
2015 |
Sania Mirza |
Tennis |
|
2014 |
No Award |
No Award |
|
2013 |
Shri Ronjan Sodhi |
Shooting |
|
2012 |
Vijay Kumar (Joint Winner) |
Shooting |
|
2012 |
Yogeshwar Dutt (Joint Winner) |
Wrestling |
|
2011 |
Gagan Narang |
Shooting |
|
2010 |
Miss Saina Nehwal |
Badminton |
|
2009 |
Shri Vijender Singh (Joint Winner) |
Boxing |
|
2009 |
Smt Mangte Chungnejjang Mary Kom (Joint Winner) |
Boxing |
|
2009 |
Shri Sushil Kumar (Joint Winner) |
Wrestling |
|
2007 |
Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni |
Cricket |
|
2006 |
Shri Manavjit Singh Sandhu |
Shooting |
|
2005 |
Shri Pankaj Advani |
Billiards and Snooker |
|
2004 |
Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore |
Shooting |
|
2003 |
Smt. Anju Bobby George |
Athletics |
|
2002 |
Ms. K. M. Beenamol (Joint Winners) |
Athletics |
|
2002 |
Smt. Anjali R. Bhagwat (Joint Winners) |
Shooting |
|
2001 |
Shri Pullela Gopichand |
Badminton |
|
2001 |
Shri Abhinav Bindra |
Shooting |
|
1999 |
Shri Dhanraj Pillay |
Hockey |
|
1998 |
Smt. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar |
Athletics |
|
1997 |
Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar |
Cricket |
|
1996 |
Shri Leander Paes |
Tennis |
|
1995 |
Ms. Nameirakpam Kunjarani |
Weightlifting |
|
1994 |
Ms. Karnam Malleswari |
Weightlifting |
|
1993 |
Cdr. Homi d. Motivala |
Yachting (Team Event) |
|
1993 |
Lt. Cdr. P.K. Garg |
Yachting (Team Event) |
|
1992 |
Shri Geet sethi |
Billiards and Snooker |
|
1991 |
Shri Vishwanathan Anand |
Chess |
