Trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi, the first Indian to win two back-to-back World Cup gold medals, was on Tuesday recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, while cricketer Virat Kohli and rising badminton star P.V. Sindhu were among the 15 nominated for the Arjuna award by the selection committee here.
Sodhi emerged the surprise pick ahead of tennis star Somdev Dev Varman, golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, discus thrower Krishna Poonia and Paralympics Games medallist H.N. Giris-ha for the prestigious award by the selection committee headed by billiards legend Michael Ferreira.
Sodhi, who had a disastrous outing at the London Olympics last year, is a former world number one.
None of the men’s hockey players were picked for the award.
Nominees: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award: Ronjan Sodhi; Arjuna awards: Virat Kohli (cricket), Chekrovolu Swuro (archery), Renjith Maheshwary (athletics), P.V. Sindhu (badminton), Kavita Chahal (boxing), Rupesh Shah (snooker), Gaganjeet Bhullar (golf), Saba Anjum (hockey), Rajkumari Rathore (shooting), Joshna Chinappa (squash), Mouma Das (table tennis), Neha Rathi (wrestling), Dharmendra Dalal (wrestling), Abhijeet Gupta (chess) and Amit Kumar Saroha (para sports)