Congress MP (Member of Parliament) from Kanyakumari, Vijay Vasanth, wants Ravichandran Ashwin to be felicitated with the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. In a post made on his X account, Vasanth tagged Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, urging him to honour the recently retired off-spinner with the highest sporting Indian award.
Ashwin to receive Khel Ratna Award?
“I have written to the Hon’ble @mansukhmandviya, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, requesting that R. Ashwin be conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. His exceptional contributions to Indian cricket and remarkable achievements on the field make him truly deserving of this honor,” tweeted the actor-turned-politician.
Latest on Ashwin
The criteria for the Khel Ratna Award are fairly simple. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports defines it as “spectacular and the most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years at an international level.” Since 2020, those who received the honour get a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, a certificate, and a medallion.
If Ashwin is to get awarded, a 12-member committee will have to deem his performance worthy of recommending it to the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for final approval. As cricket hasn’t been a part of the Olympics (it will be from 2028) and other events like the Commonwealth Games (men’s), Ashwin will be judged on his performance in World Cups and other significant tournaments.
Khel Ratna Award recipients (cricketers)
Since the inception of the award in 1991-92, only five cricketers have received the honour. Of these four, three are men, and the last recipient is a women’s cricketer.
| Year | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | Sachin Tendulkar |
| 2007 | MS Dhoni |
| 2018 | Virat Kohli |
| 2020 | Rohit Sharma |
| 2021 | Mithali Raj |
