The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has nominated rifle ace Anjum Moudgil for the Khel Ratna -- the country''s highest sporting honour while recommending Jaspal Rana for the Dronacharya Award for the second year in a row.The NRAI has sent the names of champion pistol shooters Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma for the prestigious Arjuna Award, according to federation sources."Anjum Moudgil has been nominated for Khel Ratna while the NRAI has again send Jaspal''s name for Dronacharya. They have always believed that he deserves it and are hoping he gets it this time," a federation source told PTI."Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma have been recommended for Arjuna," he added.
The 26-year-old Moudgil, who started shooting in 2008, is among the first two Indians to have secured quota places in the sport for the Tokyo Olympics. The shooter from Chandigarh earned the quota in the 10m Air Rifle event when she won the silver medal in the ISSF World Cup in Korea in 2008. Last year, Moudgil paired up with Divyansh Singh Panwar to claim the 10m Air Rifle mixed team gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Beijing.She also reached the final in the 10m Air Rifle event in the ISSF World Cup in Munich and Rio de Janeiro.Last December, Moudgil won the title in the women''s 50m 3P event at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award carries a medallion, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh. Rana''s exclusion last year snowballed into a big controversy after India''s only individual Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra criticised the selection panel for not finalising the seasoned coach for the Dronacharya Award. Dronacharya awards are given to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions.The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.