Virat Kohli, Mirabai Chanu nominated for Khel Ratna award

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Weightlifting world champion Mirabai Chanu were on Monday nominated for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award – the country’s highest sporting honour.

Kohli, who was also recommended by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) in 2016, may well become the only third cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar (1997-98) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2007) to win the prestigious award.

“Yes, Virat Kohli and Mirabai Chanu’s names have been recommended by the awards committee,” a top source reportedly told PTI on condition of anonymity.

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The World No. 1 in both the ICC Test and ODI batting rankings, Kohli has been instrumental to team India’s cricketing dreams in the past couple of years. Part of the Indian team that won the 2013 Champions Trophy, Kohli also led India to the final of the same competition last year.

He has captained to Indian team to a record Test series win in Sri Lanka and in West Indies apart from the home victories over Australia and South Africa.

Meanwhile, 2017 Weightlifting World Championship gold medallist in the 48kg category, Mirabai Chanu has also been nominated for the country’s highest sporting award. She is also the Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the same category. The 24-year-old Chanu could not participate in the 2018 Asian Games owing to an injury but is the country’s hopes for a weightlifting medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Chanu also will become only the third Weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari (1995-Weightlifting) and Nameirakpam Kunjarani (Weightlifting-1996) to win the award, if her name is indeed approved by the ministry.

Image Source: NDTV Times