[caption id="attachment_21381" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Sakshi Malik receiving Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Prasar Bharati. Sakshi Malik receiving Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Prasar Bharati.[/caption] Internet Desk: President of India Pranab Mukherjee conferred the top most awards of Indian sports on the national sports day at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The centre of attraction of today’s award ceremony were the four Olympians who received the top most sports award of the nation Rajiv Khel Ratna. [caption id="attachment_21386" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Dipa Karmakar received Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau. Dipa Karmakar received Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau.[/caption] During the award ceremony today P V Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai were seated at the front row of the award winning sports persons. P V Sindhu received the first Rajiv Khel Ratna ward followed by Dipa Karmakar, Jitu Rai and Sakshi Malik at the end. [caption id="attachment_21387" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Jitu Rai receiving Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau. Jitu Rai receiving Rajiv Khel Ratna from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau.[/caption] Apart from this above mentioned award Dronacharya Award to the coaches, Arjuna Award to players, Dhyan Chand Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award of previous year, Maulana Abul Kalma Azad Trophy and Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Purushkar were conferred today. [caption id="attachment_21388" align="aligncenter" width="580"]Gymnast coach Bishweshwar Nandi receiving Dronacharya Award from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau. Gymnast coach Bishweshwar Nandi receiving Dronacharya Award from President of India. Pic Press Information Bureau.[/caption] There is a lot to cheer for Bengal as two sports persons won Arjuna Award from Bengal. Subrata Paul, the captain of Indian national football team is the lone footballer to win the award this year. The only table tennis player to win the Arjuna Award this year is also a Bengali, Soumyajit Ghosh. Apart from this two Everest winner mountaineer from Bengal Debasish Biswas was awarded with the  Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2015. Bengal received another award which has been conferred to a society. The Subroto Cup organising house Subroto Mukherjee Sports Education Society was awarded the Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Purushkar. Among all sports persons and coaches only Indian cricketer Ajinka Rahane was absent from the award ceremony. Later he will receive his award from Union sports and youth affairs minister Vijay Goel. Today the rest of the awards were handed over to –  Dronacharya Awards 2016

S.No. Name of the awardee Discipline
1 Shri Nagapuri Ramesh Athletics
2 Shri Sagar Mal Dhayal Boxing
3. Shri Raj Kumar Sharma Cricket
4. Shri Bishweshwar Nandi Gymnastics
5. Shri S. Pradeep Kumar Swimming (Lifetime)
6. Shri Mahabir Singh Wrestling (Lifetime)
 Arjuna Awards 2016
S. No. Name of the awardee Discipline
1. Shri Rajat Chauhan Archery
2. Ms. Lalita Babar Athletics
3. Shri Sourav Kothari Billiards & Snooker
4. Shri Shiva Thapa Boxing
6. Shri Subrata Paul Football
7. Ms. Rani Hockey
8. Shri Raghunath V.R. Hockey
9. Shri Gurpreet Singh Shooting
10. Ms. Apurvi Chandela Shooting
11. Shri Soumyajit Ghosh Table Tennis
12. Ms. Vinesh Wrestling
13. Shri Amit Kumar Wrestling
14. Shri Sandeep Singh Mann Para-Athletics
15. Shri Virender Singh Wrestling (Deaf)
Dhyan Chand Award 2015
S. No. Name of the awardee Discipline
1 Ms. Satti Geetha Athletics
2 Shri Sylvanus Dung Dung Hockey
3 Shri Rajendra Pralhad Shelke Rowing

Top Indian sportspersons received national awards from President of India