Rio Olympics medallists PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik, cricketers Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and Indian hockey captain PR Sreejesh are among the sports personalities set to be given the Padma awards this year. Others athletes on the list include gymnast Dipa Karmakar, disc thrower Vikas Gowda and Paralympic gold medallist Thangavellu Mariyappan.
Malik became the first Indian female wrestler and the fourth woman from the country to win an Olympic medal. Sindhu bagged the silver medal at Rio Olympics in women’s singles badminton event. Karmakar was India’s only representative in the Olympics gymnastics competition in more than 52 years and finished fourth.
Virat Kohli led the Indian Test team to the number one ranking in the world. MS Dhoni recently stepped down as India’s limited-overs cricket captain after leading the team to two World Cups and a Champions Trophy title. PR Sreejesh, one of the best hockey goalkeepers in the world, led from the front as India won the Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy last year.
The list of Padma awardees includes 160 names this year, The Times of India reported. Actor Waheeda Rehman and badminton player P Gopichand were among the jury members.