The Sports Ministry named five athletes including cricketer Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table tennis player Manika Batra, Rani and Paralympian Thangavelu Mariyappan for this year’s Khel Ratna.
Rani Rampal never expected the Khel Ratna to be bestowed on a woman hockey player and that’s a reason why she could not hold back her tears on being named for it this year, calling it the country’s highest sporting honour a testament to her hard work and sacrifices.
“Honestly, being a woman hockey player I was not expecting that I will be awarded the Khel Ratna. When I found out about the announcement, I was extremely emotional and could not hold back my tears,” she said.
Rani Rampal gets emotional after getting Khel Ratna
