Hockey India (HI) Saturday recommended Sardar Singh for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
Sardar has been the captain of the men's team since Nov 2012 and under him, India reached the semifinals of Champions Trophy at Melbourne last year after 30 years. India also won the silver at the second Asian Champions Trophy, Doha last year. In February this year, India also won the FIH World League Round 2, New Delhi, thus qualifying for the FIH World League Round 3.
Sardar was declared Asian Hockey Federation's (AHF) Player of the Year in 2011 and was part of the international hockey federation's (FIH) World Star Team in 2010 and 2011. He was also nominated for the FIH Player of the Year in 2012.
For the Arjuna Award, former captains Danish Mujtaba and Bharat Chetri, current vice-captain V.R. Raghunath, and Tushar Khandekar have been recommended.
From the women's team, India skipper Ritu Rani, under whose leadership the team has qualified for the FIH World League Round 3, former captain Saba Anjum, and Joydeep Kaur have been recommended for the Arjuna Award.
For the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award, HI recommended current selector and Olympian Syed Ali.