‘Your excellence will inspire so many people’: Virat Kohli to National Sports Awards 2021 winners

India’s Test and One-Day International skipper Virat Kohli, who was conferred with Khel Ratna award in 2018, has congratulated all the winners of the National Sports Awards 2021. The versatile cricketer said that their excellence will inspire others to pursue their sporting passion. 

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind presented the Sports and Adventure Awards 2021, which included Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards-2021, Dronacharya Awards-2021, Arjuna Awards-2021, Dhyan Chand Awards-2021, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar-2021, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy-2021 and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards-2020 on Saturday (November 13). 

IN PICS | From Neeraj Chopra to Mithali Raj: List of athletes who won Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021

When we talk about cricketers, Mithali Raj received Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, on the other hand, opening batter Shikhar Dhawan was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award. 

Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, wrestler Ravi Kumar, para shooter Avani Lekhara, footballer Sunil Chhetri and Mithali were among the 12 athletes who received Khel Ratna. Meanwhile, Dhawan, Tokyo 2020 Paralympics silver medallist Bhavina Patel were among the 35 athletes who received the prestigious Arjuna Award. 

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Kohli, who recently led his team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, had stepped down as the captain of India’s Twenty20 team. Although, he will continue to lead the team in One-Day Internationals and Test formats. 

India’s T20 World Cup was unsuccessful as India bowed out of the tournament from the group stage. In the Super 12 stage, India lost to Pakistan (by 10 wickets) and New Zealand (eight wickets), then registered big wins against Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia but it was not enough to book a semi-final berth.