Speculation over the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award finally ended on Thursday, with the sports ministry, sticking to the original list of awardees, named the list of winners to be honoured at Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 31.
While the ministry’s decision meant that Krishna Poonia’s hopes of receiving the country’s highest honour were dashed, it was learnt hat the postponed awards ceremony was because of the non-availability of sports minister Jitendra Singh on the earlier date.
The awards are generally conferred on National Sports Day — August 29, which is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand.
Sports secretary P.K. Deb was quoted as saying: “The sports minister cleared the file and there has been no addition to the original list of awardees for both Khel Ratna and Arjuna award. We have stuck to the recommendations made by the committee.”
“The award function, which was earlier to be held on August 29 has been shifted to August 31,” Deb added.
Deb also explained the delay in announcing the list of awardees, saying the minister had looked into the grievances made by Poonia and London paralympics silver medallist H.N. Girisha after their names were left out from the list of recommendations made by the selection panel.