Top five youngest athletes to win Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award

There are three shooters present in the list.

The Khel Ratna Award, officially known as the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award (formerly called the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award) is India’s highest sporting honour, awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Earlier, Khel Ratna was given based on a player’s performance in a given year, but now Khel Ratna is given based on accolades received in the last four years.

A 12-member committee assesses the performance of athletes in various international events, including the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. As of 2020, the award includes a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

Also Read: Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award: List of all winners

While some athletes, including Sunil Chhetri and Mithali Raj, had to wait for a long time, many others managed to win awards at a young age. Many players received the award at the age of twenty-five or younger.

On that note, let’s have a look at the top five youngest athletes, out of the sixty-three winners, to have been awarded the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award:

5- Manish Narwal (20 years)

Para shooter Manish Narwal was aged 20 when he received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021. The lad from Haryana clinched the gold medal in the Mixed 50m Air Pistol SH1 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, which prompted his nomination for the award.

The shooter, who suffers from a right-hand disability, is currently ranked fourth in the world. He clinched the silver medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024 in the 10 m air pistol SH1 event and the bronze medal at the Asian Para Games 2022 in the 10 m air pistol event.

4- Avani Lekhara (20 years)

Coincidentally, another para-shooter received the Khel Ratna award in 2021 at the age of 20 years. Avani Lekhara had created history at the Tokyo Paralympics, winning gold in the 10m air rifle SH1 event and bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event, thus becoming the Indian female Paralympian to win two medals.

Last year, she further enhanced her legacy, winning a second successive gold medal in the 10m air rifle SH1 event at the Paris Games. The athlete from Jaipur, who suffers from complete paraplegia, has three World Cup medals (two golds), apart from a gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2022 in the 10m Air Rifle event.

Also Read: Top five greatest Indian gymnasts of all-time

3- Karnam Malleswari (20 years)

Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari became the first female athlete to be awarded the Khel Ratna Award. She was just 20 when she received the award in 1995. Famous for being the first Indian female sportsperson to win an Olympic medal (bronze medal in the 69kg category at the Sydney Olympics).

The athlete from Andhra Pradesh clinched back-to-back gold medals at the World Championships- in 1994 and 1995, in the 54kg category, thus being able to stake a claim for the award. Malleswari also has two World Championship bronze medals, apart from two Asian Games silver medals.

2- Abhinav Bindra (19 years)

Abhinav Bindra, who became India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist by topping the charts in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event at the Beijing Olympics 2008, was awarded a gold medal way before that, in 2001. This was after his participation as the youngest member of the Indian contingent at the Sydney Olympics. He then won a bronze, at the 2001 Munich World Cup with a new junior world record score.

The shooter from Dehradun won six gold medals at various international meets that year, making him worthy of the accolade. Overall, Bindra has one World Championship gold medal (2006 Zagreb), apart from three Asian Games and seven Commonwealth Games medals.

1- D Gukesh (18 years)

At the age of 18 years, 7 months, and 20 days, Grandmaster D Gukesh overtook Bindra to become the youngest recipient of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. He recently capped off a stellar 2024, by defeating Chinese Ling Diren to win the World Chess Championship 2024, thus becoming the youngest undisputed world champion.

Also Read: ⁠FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship: Full list of winners

Apart from becoming the youngest winner of the Candidates Tournament, the Chennai boy won both individual and team gold medals at the Chess Olympiad 2024.

Gukesh also won gold in the individual and bronze in the team event, at the 2022 Olympiad and was part of the Indian Men’s Team that clinched the silver medal at the 2022 Asian Games. In September 2023, he became the top-rated Indian player, surpassing Viswanathan Anand’s 37-year record.

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