Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan Thangavelu among 4 recommended for Khel Ratna

India’s limited overs vice captain Rohit Sharma, Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu, Wrestler Vinesg Phogat and TT player Manika Batra were on Tuesday selected for this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award by the sports ministry.

This is the second time since 2016 that four athletes have been picked for the country's highest sporting honour.

The selection committee, consist the likes of Virender Sehwag and former hockey captain Sardar Singh, met at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters here.

While Rohit Sharma has been recognised for his ever-rising accomplishments with the bat, Vinesh has been acclaimed for her gold in the 2018 Commonwealth and Asian Games besides a bronze in the 2019 Asian Wrestling Championships.

Mariyappan Thangavelu got the recognition for his gold medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the T42 high jump.

In 2016, Indian shuttler P V Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shooter Jitu Rai, and wrestler Sakshi Malik were collectively given the honours.

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