Deepti Sharma 'extremely grateful' to be nominated for Arjuna Award
Deepti holds the record for the highest individual Women's ODI score by an Indian player and is also the only Indian spinner to take 6 WODI wickets
 "Deepti Sharma 'extremely grateful' to be nominated for Arjuna Award")
Indian cricketer Deepti Sharma on Monday said that she is "extremely grateful" to be nominated for the Arjuna award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The 24-year-old spinner thanked her mentors and coaches for constant their and said she will keep on performing well in the future.
"I'm extremely grateful to be nominated by the @BCCI for the Arjuna award. Would like to thank all my coaches, mentors and the team for supporting me through the journey. Will keep giving my best," Deepti tweeted.
ALSO READ: Extremely honoured to be nominated for Khel Ratna, says Rohit Sharma
Deepti was economical during India's run in the Women's T20 World Cup 2020. In the tournament opener against Australia, she gave just 17 runs in the four overs. While in the match against Sri Lanka, she delivered a standout performance by taking a wicket and giving away 16 runs.
What are Arjuna Awards?
The Arjuna Awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in India to recognise outstanding achievement in field of sports. The process of giving Arjuna Awards was started in 1961, which includes a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a bronze statue of Arjuna and a scroll.
The criteria for conferring Arjuna Award has been revised over the years. According to the revised guidelines, to be eligible for the award, a sportsperson should not only have had good performance consistently for the previous four years at the international level with excellence for the year for which the award is recommended, but should also have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
The BCCI also nominated Indian cricketers Ishant Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan for Arjuna Awards.
While Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma was nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award 2020 by the apex body of cricket in India.
List of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award winner:| Year | Name Of The Awardee | Discipline |
| 2019 | Bajrang Punia | Wrestling |
| Deepa Malik | Paralympic |
| 2018 | Mirabai Chanu | Weightlifting |
| Virat Kohli | Cricket | |
| 2017 | Sardar Singh | Hockey |
| Devendra | Para – Athletic | |
| 2016 | P.V. Sindhu | Badminton |
| Dipa Karmakar | Gymnastics | |
| Jitu Rai | Shooting | |
| Sakshi Malik | Wrestling | |
| 2015 | Sania Mirza | Tennis |
| 2013 | Ronjan Sodhi | Shooting |
| 2012 | Vijay Kumar | Shooting |
| Yogeshwar Dutt | Wrestling | |
| 2011 | Gagan Narang | Shooting |
| 2010 | Saina Nehwal | Badminton |
| 2009 | Mary Kom | Boxing |
| Vijender Singh | ||
| Sushil Kumar | Wrestling | |
| 2007 | MS Dhoni | Cricket |
| 2006 | Manavjit Singh Sandhu | Shooting |
| 2005 | Pankaj Advani | Billiards & Snooker |
| 2004 | Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore | Shooting |
| 2003 | Anju Bobby George | Athletics |
| 2002 | K M Beenamol | Athletics |
| Anjali R.Bhagwat | Shooting | |
| 2001 | Abhinav Bindra | Shooting |
| 2000-2001 | Pullela Gopichand | Badminton |
| 1999-2000 | Dhanraj Pillay | Hockey |
| 1998-1999 | Jyotirmoyee Sikdar | Athletics |
| 1997-1998 | Sachin Tendulkar | Cricket |
| 1996-1997 | Leander Paes | Tennis |
| 1995-1996 | N Kunjurani | Weightlifting |
| 1994-1995 | K Malleshwari | Weightlifting |
| 1992-1994 | Cdr. Homi D. Motivala | Yachting |
| Cdr. P.K. Garg | Yachting | |
| 1991-1992 | Vishwanath Anand | Chess |
| Geet Sethi | Billiards |