D Gukesh and Manu Bhaker are two of the four recipients of the Khel Ratna award.

four athletes will receive the Khel Ratna honor, including world chess champion D Gukesh and double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker. At first, Manu Bhaker's name was not on the list of candidates for the nation's top athletic honor.The Sports Ministry announced on Thursday, January 2, that four athletes will receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award on January 17, including world chess champion D Gukesh and double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker.

At first, Manu's name was not on the list of candidates for the nation's top athletic honor, the Khel Ratna award.At a specially planned event on January 17 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, President Droupadi Murmu will also present the Khel Ratna Award to Paralympian Praveen Kumar and captain Harmanpreet Singh of the Indian men's hockey team."Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches, university and entity," the ministry stated in a statement.