The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has nominated javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medallist is also the winner of World Junior Athletics Championships in 2016.
As for the Arjuna Award, the AFI panel chaired by Anju Bobby George nominated 2018 Asian Games gold medallists, triple jumper Arpinder Singh and middle-distance specialist Manjit Singh as well as sprinter Dutee Chand, who won two Asian Games silver medals, and middle-distance runner PU Chitra who won gold medals in successive Asian Athletics Championships in 2017 and 2019 besides an Asian Games bronze.
Deputy Chief Coach Radhakrishnan Nair, the only Indian to complete the International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Programme by the International Olympic Committee with honours, has been nominated for the prestigious Dronacharya Award.
As for the Dhyan Chand Award, Kuldip Singh Bhullar, who won the discus throw silver medal in the 1982 Asian Games in Delhi, and sprinter Jincy Philip, who finished fourth in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, has been nominated.
