"We are very happy. He has represented the country with distinction, and deserves the honour," Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, said. "His exemplary leadership and demeanour under pressure, especially in the Twenty20 World Cup and the tri-series in Australia, has made him an ideal role model for millions of young Indians who want to make a mark in life."
For the fifth consecutive year, no footballer has found a place in the annual list of Arjuna awardees, which was finalised on Monday.
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has decided to confer the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the Arjuna Award to 10 sportspersons in as many disciplines.
Among the Arjuna awardees are star golfer Arjun Atwal, Beijing-bound shooter Avneet Kaur and athlete Chitra Soman, a part of India’s 4x400 women’s relay team, which is expected to do well in the Olympics.
Soman was also the member of the relay team that won the gold medal in the last Asian Games and the Asian championships.
Hockey player Prabhjot Singh, who played a lead role in India’s triumph in the senior Asia Cup and was later nominated for the World Player of the Year award, has been selected for the Arjuna award.
While Dhoni became the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to bag the Khel Ratna, the committee, consisting of eminent sportspersons of yesteryears, did not consider any of the four footballers for the Arjuna Award, whose names were recommended by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
India skipper Bhaichung Bhutia was the only current sportsperson in the selection committee, but he could not attend the meeting.
I.M. Vijayan was the last Indian footballer to be awarded the Arjuna in 2003. Dempo coach Armando Colaco, who guided the Goan team to two consecutive triumphs in the National Football League (NFL) and the I-League, has also not been considered for the Dronacharya Award.
List of awardees
Dronacharya: Sanjeeva Singh (archery), Jagdish Singh (Boxing), Sreedharan (volleyball) and Jagminder Singh (wrestling).
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Arjuna: Chitra Soman (athletics), Anup Sridhar (badminton), Verghese Johnson (boxing), Harika D. (chess), Arjun Atwal (golf), Prabhjot Singh (hockey), Tombi Devi (judo), Avneet Kaur (shooting), Bajrang Lal Thakkar (rowing), and Alka Tomar (wrestling).
Dhyanchand (for lifetime achievement): Hakam Singh (athletics), Mukhbain Singh (hockey) and Gyan Singh (wrestling).
Telegraph India
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