Rediff
New Delhi, Aug 4: India's one-day and Twenty20 captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Monday chosen for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest honour for a sportsperson.
An expert committee, chaired by Milkha Singh, met on Monday to discuss the nominees and decided to confer the award on Dhoni for leading India to the Twenty20 World Cup triumph. It makes him only the second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to get the honour.
Sources in the Sports Ministry, however, informed that an official announcement will follow only after August 20.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty hailed the decision.
"On two occasions we felt let down, when Rahul Draviddidn't get Khel Ratna and Yuvraj (Singh) was denied the Arjuna.
"Dravid was in good form, we had won 16 ODIs on the trot and the team was on a high -- still he did not get the award.
"Yuvraj too was unlucky not to get Arjuna after two years of consistent performance. We are happy Dhoni got it," he told Times Now channel.
Shetty said what impressed him most about Dhoni was the way he conducted himself.
"What I like most about 'Mahi', apart from his cricket, is the way he leads. He is a cool customer and never gets agitated. I'm also impressed by his clarity of thought. He speaks his mind even if it may not be seen in the right sense," he added.