Indian women hockey skipper Rani Rampal, who hails from Haryana’s hockey hub Shahbad, and Asian Games gold medallist wrestler Vinesh Phogat of the famed Phogat clan from Charkhi Dadri were among the five outstanding sportspersons recommended for the country’s highest sporting honour Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratan award on Tuesday.

The other nominees are star cricketer Rohit Sharma, Rio Paralympic gold-winning high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu and paddler Manika Batra.

A whopping 29 names were also recommended for the Arjuna award by the 12-member selection committee of the sports ministry. Of these, 10 hail from the region.

What’s more, five out of the 13 coaches recommended for the Dronacharya awards, are from the region. These include former national women boxing coach Shiv Singh, who hails from Chandigarh, hockey coach from Himachal Romesh Pathania , Krishan Kumar Hooda, (kabaddi), OP Dahiya (wrestling), both from Haryana, and J&K wushu coach Kuldeep Handoo.

“It’s great news for me. The sporting honours motivate us to achieve more and more and I am really happy to be the first women hockey player to get the Khel Ratna award,” says Rani, whose last-minute goal against USA in the Olympic qualifiers held in Odisha last year, helped the country to qualify for the second successive quadrennial games. She was also part of the team in the Rio Olympics.

Two-time Asian Games medallist Vinesh is the second women wrestler to get the sporting honour.

In the Dhyanchand awards category, seven out of the 14 names recommended by the panel hail from Punjab and Haryana. Hockey Olympic bronze medallist Ajit Singh, father of former Indian skipper Gagan Ajit Singh, has been recommended for the award. The other players from the region are Asian Games silver medallist discus thrower Kuldeep Singh Bhullar, Olympian boxer Lakha Singh, football coach Sukhwinder Singh Sandhu, double Asian gold medallist kabaddi player Manpreet Singh, rowing Olympian Manjit Singh and Asian Games medallist wrestler Netar Pal Hooda.

The Panjab University, Chandigarh, has been recommended for the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy for the best all-round performance in sports among Indian varsities for the second time in a row. The university has won the trophy 14 times earlier.