Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper Sreejesh/ Image from IANS
New Delhi:Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper Sreejesh and former women's team player Deepika were on Saturday nominated by Hockey India (HI) for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.
Men's team player Harmanpreet Singh, Vandana Katariya and Navjot Kaur have been nominated for the Arjuna Award, while former India players RP Singh and Sanggai Ibemhal have been recommended for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Coaches BJ Kariappa and CR Kumar have been nominated for the Dronacharya Award.
According to a statement issued by HI, the period of consideration for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is between January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020.
During that period, the 35-year-old Sreejesh, who will be playing in his third Olympics and probably last, played a key role in India's silver medal-winning performance at the 2018 Champions Trophy in Breda, the bronze-medal win at the Jakarta Asian Games and the gold-medal win at the 2019 FIH Men's Series Finals in Bhubaneswar.
Sreejesh is also the recipient of the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri Award in 2017.
Deepika played a key role in the Indian women's team's silver medal-winning performance at the 2018 Asian Games and the Asian Champions Trophy.
Drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh (100 international caps), Vandana Katariya (200 international caps) and Navjot Kaur (150 international caps) have been nominated for the Arjuna for their consistent performances in the last few years.
Hockey India president Gyanendro Ningombam, said, "It was a proud moment when Rani won the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award last year and it is with great pride that we are recommending two of the finest hockey players the country has seen - PR Sreejesh and Deepika - for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award this year.
"We are also happy to nominate Harmanpreet Singh, Vandana Katariya and Navjot Kaur for the Arjuna Awards. They have produced some exceptional performances for the Indian team in the last few years."
The National Sports Awards are given to the country's sportsperons by the President of India on the occasion of National Sports Day on August 29 every year to celebrate hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand's birthday.
All the prizes carry a trophy along with a citation and cash rewards