Virender Sehwag, PT Usha named in Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award committee

The 38-year-old former opener known for his swashbuckling batting now has a new responsibility. Along with former Indian track and field athlete PT Usha, he was selected for the committee which will decide Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardees. 

Along with them, Mukund Killekar (boxing), Sunil Dabbas (Kabaddi), M R Mishra (Journalist), S Kannan (Journalist), Sanjeev Kumar (Journalist), Latha Madhvi (Para athlete), Anil Khanna (sports administrator), Injeti Srinivas (DG, SAI) and Rajvir Singh (Joint Secretary, Sports Ministry) are the other members.

Justice (Retd) C K Thakkar will head the Arjuna Award Committee that will meet on August 3 to select the awardees for this year.

The Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awards committee will be led by Gopichand. The committee will include renowned cueist Pankaj Advani, Gopal Saini (athletics), M K Kaushik (Hockey) and Virendra Poonia (Athletics), Maha Singh Rao (Wrestling), Noris Pritam (Journalist), Rajinder Sejwan (Journalist), B V P Rao (Administrator).

The two Ex-officio members are Director General (SAI) and Joint Secretary (Sports Development).

The Arjuna Awards instituted in 1961 and given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in national sports. On the other hand, the Dronacharya Award, which was instituted in 1985, is given to the outstanding coaches in sports and games.