Complete List of All Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award Winners

Explore the full list of Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award winners, India’s highest sporting honor, from 1991 to 2024. Discover all the athletes.

Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award Winners Complete List

The Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award is India’s highest sporting honor, established in 1991 to recognize exceptional sports performance at the international level. Originally known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the award was renamed in 2021 to honor Major Dhyanchand, one of the greatest field hockey players of all time.

This prestigious award is presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding performance in sports over four years. As of 2023, there have been 59 recipients across a range of disciplines, including athletics, cricket, shooting, and para-sports.

The award consists of a medallion, certificate, and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh. Let’s explore the complete list of Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award winners and their respective sports disciplines.

How Khel Ratna Award Winners Are Selected

Complete List of All Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award Winners
Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award Winners Complete List

The selection process for the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award involves a thorough evaluation by a 12-member committee formed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The committee assesses each athlete’s performance in international events like the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. After evaluation, the committee submits its recommendations to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for approval.

Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award Winners List

Year Receiver Discipline
1991–1992 Viswanathan Anand Chess
1992–1993 Geet Sethi Billiards
1993–1994 Homi Motivala, Pushpendra Kumar Garg Yachting
1994–1995 Karnam Malleswari Weightlifting
1995–1996 Nameirakpam Kunjarani Weightlifting
1996–1997 Leander Paes Tennis
1997–1998 Sachin Tendulkar Cricket
1998–1999 Jyotirmoyee Sikdar Athletics
1999–2000 Dhanraj Pillay Hockey
2000–2001 Pullela Gopichand Badminton
2001 Abhinav Bindra Shooting
2002 K. M. Beenamol, Anjali Bhagwat Athletics, Shooting
2003 Anju Bobby George Athletics
2004 Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore Shooting
2005 Pankaj Advani Billiards and Snooker
2006 Manavjit Singh Sandhu Shooting
2007 Mahendra Singh Dhoni Cricket
2009 Mary Kom, Vijender Singh, Sushil Kumar Boxing, Freestyle wrestling
2010 Saina Nehwal Badminton
2011 Gagan Narang Shooting
2012 Vijay Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt Shooting, Freestyle wrestling
2013 Ronjan Sodhi Shooting
2015 Sania Mirza Tennis
2016 PV Sindhu, Dipa Karmakar, Jitu Rai, Sakshi Malik Badminton, Gymnastics, Shooting, Freestyle wrestling
2017 Devendra Jhajharia, Sardara Singh Para-athletics, Hockey
2018 Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, Virat Kohli Weightlifting, Cricket
2019 Deepa Malik, Bajrang Punia Para-athletics, Freestyle wrestling
2020 Manika Batra, Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan Thangavelu, Vinesh Phogat, Rani Rampal Table Tennis, Cricket, Para-athletics, Freestyle wrestling, Hockey
2021 Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Lovlina Borgohain, P. R. Sreejesh, Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar, Manish Narwal, Mithali Raj, Sunil Chhetri, Manpreet Singh Athletics, Freestyle wrestling, Boxing, Hockey, Para-shooting, Para-athletics, Para-badminton, Cricket, Football
2022 Sharath Kamal Table Tennis
2023 Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Badminton
2024 Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, Praveen Kumar Shooting, Chess, Hockey, Para-athletics

ALSO READ: Complete Schedule of Indian Athletics Domestic Calendar 2025

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