Ace drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, India's women's cricket captain Jhulan Goswami and boxer Dinesh Kumar are among the top sportspersons nominated for the Arjuna award, in recognition of their outstanding achievements during the last year.
The National sports awards (Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dhyan Chand) selection committee, headed by P T Usha, met in Delhi on Friday and finalised the list of awardees.
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The selection committee will now submit the names to the government, which will formally announce the list in the next few days. Generally, the names submitted by the committee are approved, but the Sports Ministry can make changes.
Drag-flicker Sandeep displayed god form during India's recent hockey tour of Europe, while seasoned pace-woman Jhulan is currently heading the bowling list of International Cricket Council's ODI Women's Rankings.
Pugilist Dinesh, who entered the quarter-finals of theWorld Championships in Moscow last year, won the light heavyweight 81kg Commonwealth Championships title earlier this year.
Woman hockey player Jasjeet Kaur is also in the Arjuna awards list.According to sources, national record holder in the 400 metres hurdles Joseph Abraham and discus thrower Krishna Punia, who is also a Commonwealth Games medal prospect, are in the 15-strong list.
Parimarjan Negi, the second youngest Grandmaster in the world, and Olympian wrestler Rajiv Tomar figure in the list for the award, which carries cash prize, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll.
Swimmer Rehan Poncha, who is India's bet for a medal at the Delhi Games from October 3 to 14, is also nominated.
Footballers Sunil Chhetri, currently waiting for his Major League Soccer debut at Kansas City Wizard in the United States, and Deepak Mondal are the two footballers in the list.
In shooting, Sanjeev Rajput will receive the award.
Other sportspersons shortlisted for the award are spiker Kapil Dev, kabbadi player Dinesh Kumar and para-Olympian Jagseer Singh.
President Pratibha Patil will give away the awards at a function in Rashtrapathi Bhawan on August 29.
