The Sports Minister of India, Vijay Goel on 22nd August, 2017 announced the list of Khel Ratna, Dronacharya, Arjuna and Dhyan Chand Awards 2017. Based on the recommendations of the Selection Committee consisting of former Olympian, Arjuna Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, Dhyan Chand Awardees, the Sports Ministry has decided to confer the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2017 to Para Athlete Devendra Jhajharia and celebrated former hockey captain Sardar Singh.
Jhajharia, the 2017 Mahindra Scorpio Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) winner, will become the first paralympian to be conferred with the India's highest sporting honour along with Sardar Singh.
Apart from the Khel Ratna, the ministry also released list of seven Dronacharya awardees for coaches and 17 Arjuna awardees featuring cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur, Cheteshwar Pujara, para-athletes Mariyappan, Varun Singh Bhati and Hockey player SV Suni.