Sports ministry decides to go with awards committee's recommendation that shooter Ronjan Sodhi is the best candidate.
Prominent Olympians and Arjuna awardees were of the view that Poonia should also be recommended for the country's top sporting award, along with double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi whose name has already been recommended by a selection panel under controversial circumstances.
Sports ministry's decision to recommend Olympian shooter Ronjan Sodhi for the Khel Ratna award this year has angered discus thrower Krishna Poonia and Paralympian HN Girisha. Both Poonia and Girisha feel they deserve India's highest sporting honour.
Double trap shooter, who has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, says he is privileged to join Sachin Tendulkar in getting India's highest sporting honour
Ace shooter Ronjan Sodhi is set to be awarded with the Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour.
The BCCI this year hasn't forwarded any name for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest honour for active sportspersons in the country, since the cricket board didn't find any fitting cricketer for the award.
Apart from Somdev, the AITA has recommended the name of yesteryear star Vijay Amritraj for the Dhyan Chand Award.
Rahul Dravid, who protected India on the cricket pitch for 15 long years, has still not been awarded the country's highest sporting honour - the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
Former India cricket captain Ravi Shastri on Monday rejected criticism for not attending the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards committee meeting, saying that he was never informed by the Sports Ministry about it.
An unprecedented 25 sportspersons will be conferred with the Arjuna awards this year, while the country's highest sporting honour -- the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna -- will be jointly presented to Olympic medallists, shooter Vijay Kumar and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt.