Dhoni receives Khel Ratna
Posted on Aug 29, 2008 at 20:21 | Updated Aug 30, 2008 at 19:58
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New Delhi: Mahendra Singh Dhoni became only the second cricketer, a decade after Sachin Tendulkar, to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award as he was conferred the country's highest sporting honour at a glittering function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here on Friday.
The Indian ODI captain, however, could not attend the function as he was leading the team in the fifth and final match of the One-Day series against Sri Lanka, which India has already won.
His father Paan Singh received the award on his behalf.
President Pratibha Patil presented Rs 500,000, a scroll of honour and a medal in recognition to his spectacular and most outstanding performance in sports.
Apart from the 27-year-old Dhoni, it was also a red letter day for 11 other sportspersons, who were bestowed Arjuna Awards at a packed Ashok Hall which reverberated with thunderous applause.
Olympian shooter Avneet Kaur Sidhu, veteran hockey forward Prabhjot Singh, and Beijing Olympic quarter-finalist rower Bajranglal Takhar were among those who were honoured with the Arjuna awards at the magnificent ceremony.
However, once again none of the cricketers featured in list of Arjuna awardees' since Harbhajan Singh won it in 2003.
Dhoni, in his first stint as Indian captain, led the team to Twenty20 World Cup win in its inaugural edition staged in South Africa.
Dhoni once again proved his leadership skills by leading India to an unprecedented One-Day tri-series win in Australia, giving the world champions a wake up call and now won the ODI series in Sri Lanka.
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Total Comments: 2
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Posted By Prateek
Title is an example of bad english. And award is conferred on someone, not the other way round!
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Posted By anand
Strange are the ways of indian sport .Rahul dravid never got the khel ratna , anil kumble never got it
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