WFI recommends wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has recommended the names of wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia for Rajeev Khel Ratna Award.

Vinesh Phogat comes from a reputed background of wrestling with her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, both Commonwealth Games medalists. She has won two gold medals in Commonwealth Games - 2014 Glasgow Games (48 kg category) and 2018 Gold Coast (50 kg category). She has one gold (2014 Incheon - 48 kg category) and one bronze (2018 Jakarta - 50 kg category) in Asian Games. She was awarded Arjuna Award in the year 2016.

Bajrang Punia had a very successful 2018, in which he won golds at the Asian Games (Jakarta) and Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast) in the 65 kg category. He also achieved the number 1 ranking in wrestling, in a first for India, at the World level. He won the Arjuna award in the year 2015.

WFI also recommended wrestlers Rahul Aware, Harpreet Singh, Divya Kakran and Pooja Dhanda for Arjuna award. For the Dronacharya award, WFI recommended Virender Kumar, Sujeet Maan, Narendra Kumar & Vikram Kumar.

Wrestling Federation of India has also recommended Bheem Singh and Jai Prakash for Dhyanchand award.