India, Dec. 25 -- India men's hockey team vice-captain Hardik Singh was the sole recommendation for this year's Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna honour, while teenage chess star Divya Deshmukh and trailblazing decathlete Tejaswin Shankar were among the 24 picked for the Arjuna awards by the selection committee on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Hardik has been India's mid-field mainstay and was a part of both the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympic Games medal-clinching teams. This year, he was a part of India's Asia Cup gold-winning side. In a first, a Yogasan athlete, Aarti Pal, has been recommended for the Arjuna Award, five years after it was formally recognised by the Sports Ministry, a well-placed source said.

Aarti is the reigning national ...