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Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty get Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award
Khel Ratna Award to Satwik and Chirag: Chirag and Satwik had a memorable 2023, where they won the Asian Games gold medal. It was the first medal in badminton for India at the event. They won the Asian Championships title and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya awarded star Indian men's doubles badminton pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty with the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award on Thursday. The duo was declared to receive the prestigious award last year, but since they were participating in Malaysia Open Super 1000, they couldn't be present at the National Sports Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“Today in New Delhi our badminton champions Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023. The award is a testament to their dedication and exceptional performance on the court. I wish them all the best for their future endeavours,” Mandaviya posted on Instagram. The former World No. 1 pair were scheduled to receive the award this February but that too was postponed after Satwik’s father passed away due to cardiac arrest.
Chirag and Satwik had a memorable 2023 where they won the Asian Games gold medal (the first in badminton for India at the event), the Asian Championships title and the prestigious Indonesia Open Super 1000 title. They are also World Championships bronze medallists and Commonwealth Games gold medallists from 2022.
In 2023, Satwik broke a decade-old Guinness World Record for the fastest shot ever in badminton at an astonishing speed of 565 km/h, surpassing the previous world record of 493 km/h, which was achieved by Malaysian badminton player Tan Boon Hiong in May 2013.
Chirag and Satwik, who took a break after reaching the quarterfinals of the Paris Olympics, started the 2025 season strongly by reaching the semifinals of the Malaysia Open and the Indian Open. However, the pair have been struggling with fitness and injury issues, as they pulled out of the Badminton Asia Championships last month and later also withdrew from the Sudirman Cup due to illness. The pair last played at the 2025 All England Open Super 1000, where they retired midway through their round of 16 match.
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