BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government on Tuesday nominated ace sprinter Dutee Chand for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country's highest sporting honour. Apart from Dutee, the Sports and Youth Services Department (DSYS), Government of Odisha, has recommended fives names to the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for various sports awards.
The 25-year-old Dutee broke her 100m national record by clocking 11.7 seconds at the Indian Grand Prix held recently in Patiala. However, she missed the Olympic qualification mark by 0.02 seconds.
Another prominent athlete to be nominated by the Odisha government is international hockey player Birendra Lakra. The defender, who was recently named vice-captain of the Olympic-bound Indian team, was nominated for the Arjuna Award.
The state government has also nominated hockey coach Kalu Charan Choudhury (Dronacharya) and former sprinter and Olympian Anuradha Biswal (Dhyan Chand) for the National Sports Awards. Besides, KIIT Deemed University and Odisha Mining Corporation have been nominated for Rashtriya Khel Prostahan Puraskar.