Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty Conferred Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by Union Sports Minister

New Delhi: India’s top badminton duo Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were officially presented with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the nation’s highest sporting honour, by Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, at a special ceremony held in New Delhi today.

The pair, who rose to World No. 1 in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings in 2023 and secured a historic gold at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, had been selected for the prestigious award last year but were unable to attend the presentation due to international tournament commitments.

Commending the athletes for their exceptional contributions to Indian badminton, Dr. Mandaviya said, “Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour of the country. Satwik and Chirag, both of you have brought honour to the country through your extraordinary skills and hard work. When you stand on the podium with the Tricolour, it’s not just your moment—it’s a moment of pride for the entire nation.”

The badminton stars, currently ranked World No. 11, have earned widespread recognition for their dynamic on-court partnership, having previously played key roles in India’s Thomas Cup victory, in addition to multiple BWF World Tour titles.

Chirag Shetty, speaking after receiving the award, said, “It was long due, and we are very happy to finally receive the Khel Ratna from our honourable Sports Minister. The support from the Government of India has been immense throughout our journey. Achievements like becoming World No. 1 or winning the Asian Games gold would not have been possible without that backing.”

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy echoed Chirag’s gratitude, highlighting how the recognition would boost their morale. “We couldn’t attend the official ceremony last year, so to finally get the award now is a huge confidence booster. The government has played a key role through schemes like Khelo India and TOPS. We faced financial struggles early in our careers, but once the support came in, we never looked back,” he said.

The duo started 2025 with strong performances, reaching the podium at both the Malaysia Open and India Open. However, they have since faced some injury setbacks. Their next major international outings are scheduled at the Singapore Open (May 27–June 1) and the Indonesia Open (June 3–8), where they aim to return to top form.