Sprinter Dutee Chand nominated for Khel Ratna by the Odisha Government

On Tuesday, the Odisha government nominated top sprinter Dutee Chand for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour. In addition to Dutee, the Odisha government has also sent five more recommendations to the sports ministry, according to an official.

“I’m thankful to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik for nominating my name for the Khel Ratna Award. May your blessing always be upon me,” tweeted by Dutee on her official Twitter handle.

The Indian sprint ace broke her own national 100m record with 11.7 seconds at the 4th Indian Grand Prix in Patiala last week, missing the automatic Olympic qualification by 0.02 seconds.

However, she is set to make it to the Tokyo Olympics based on world rankings.

The 25-year-old Dutee, who won the silver medal each in the 100 and 200 meters events at the 2018 Asian Games, was honoured with the Arjuna Award last year.

The Odisha Government’s Sports and Youth Services Department has also nominated Olympic-bound Indian hockey vice-captain Birendra Lakra (Arjuna Award), hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury (Dronacharya) and former sprinter and Olympian Anuradha Biswal (Dhyan Chand) to receive National Sports Awards.

The Odisha government has also nominated KIIT Deemed University and Odisha Mining Corporation for Rashtriya Khel Prostahan Puraskar for identifying and developing promising talent in the region.