Manu Bhaker Shines with Khel Ratna Award and Prepares for Upcoming Challenges

Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker, awarded the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, is set to compete again after intense training. She aims for new victories following India's historic shooting accomplishments. Other recipients include chess king Gukesh Dommaraju and hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh.

By Vivek Prabhakar Singh. In a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, India's President Draupadi Murmu honored Manu Bhaker and other sports icons with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Recognized for her outstanding achievements in shooting, Bhaker expressed her ambition to continue her medal-winning streak.

The double Olympic medalist has been rigorously training for two and a half months and is gearing up for upcoming competitions. Bhaker's journey is marked by historic firsts in Indian women's shooting, having broken records in Olympic events and overcoming setbacks from the 2021 Tokyo Games.

Other Khel Ratna awardees include World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, celebrated for becoming the youngest-ever titleholder, and Para Athlete Praveen Kumar, who triumphed at the 2024 Paralympics. Hockey star Harmanpreet Singh, fresh from his team's Olympic success, adds to the distinguished list of Indian sports heroes.

(With inputs from agencies.)