New Delhi: The sports ministry has decided to extend the dates of applications for national sports awards, paving the way for new stars like Swapna Barman, Hima Das and Jinson Johnson to be considered for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards this year.

According to sources, the government is set to extend the dates of applications to September 12 and the meetings to decide the awards could be held in the third week of this month. Previously, the last date of application was April 30.

This has been done so that medal winners of both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games held this year can be included. There is every possibility the number of awards for both Khel Ratna and Arjuna could be increased to accommodate the large number of top Indian performers in both the Games.  

The ministry’s decision could now allow the federations to recommend the names of the top medal winners for Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards this year.

Bengal’s Swapna braved severe pain to bag India’s first-ever gold medal in heptathlon at the Asian Games.

Swapna, who was suffering from toothache and had her jaw strapped with a tape to control it, scored 1003 points in high jump, 872 points in javelin throw and finished second-best in shot put and long jump with 707 and 865 points respectively to bag the top prize. 

Since then, Swapna, 21, has been a household name.