Sonipat: Indian wrestler Babita Phogat on Tuesday demanded a change in the name of India’s highest sporting honour, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, saying that the award should be named after a sportsperson and not after the former Prime Minister.
“Khel Ratna Award has been named after Rajiv Gandhi’s name. If it was in the name of some athlete, instead of his name, we would have felt more proud. We have so many Olympic medallists and World Champions,” Phogat told ANI.
“If it was in the name of some sportsperson, then the athletes also would have felt more pride in receiving it, they would have felt more motivated,” she added.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday virtually conferred the National Sports and Adventure Award 2020.
President presented Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
A record 74 athletes of the country were honored on hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand’s 115th birth anniversary.