Cricketers Miss Out on National Awards; Hardik Singh Lone Khel Ratna Pick

• No cricketer has been recommended for this year's national awards, a rare occurrence.
• Men's hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh is the sole recommendation for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna honour.
• Chess players Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujrathi are among 24 names recommended for the Arjuna awards.
• Yogasan athlete Aarti Pal makes history as the first from her discipline to be recommended for an Arjuna award.
• Other notable Arjuna recommendations include Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Mehuli Ghosh (Shooting), and Treesa Jolly & Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton).

Why It Matters: Hardik Singh is sole Khel Ratna; no cricketers recommended, new sports gain recognition.