Three top sportspersons get Khel Ratna Award

Normally, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given to only one sportsperson in a year. However, taking into consideration the spectacular performance of Vijender and Sushil, the Government has accepted the suggestion of the Selection Committee to confer the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award on both of them as a special case, in addition Mary Kom. Boxers MC Mary Kom and Vijender Singh and wrestler Sushil Kumar were selected for the country's highest sporting honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. Four-time world champion MC Mary Kom and Olympic bronze medalist Vijender Singh are the first boxers to acquire the award which carries an improved prize money of Rs 7.5 lakh and a citation. Also a bronze medalist from Beijing Olympics, Sushil Kumar has broken wrestling's 56-year-old wait for a medal at Olympics, the world's biggest sporting event. Cricketer Gautam Gambhir, Badminton player Saina Nehwal, world record holder double trap shooter Ranjan Sodhi, expert hockey player Ignace Tirkey and chess player Tania Sachdev were among the 15 athletes chosen for the Arjuna awards.