25-year-old Mirabai who had bagged a gold in the 2017 weightlifting World Championships had applied for both the Arjuna and the Khel Ratna in 2018. The Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour a sportsperson can be recognised with in the country. She and Indian men's cricket captain Virat Kohli had won the award in 2018. She was also awarded the Padma Shri that year.
"It is possible," IWLF Secretary General Sahadev Yadav told IANS when asked about nominating an athlete who has won a Khel Ratna for an Arjuna Award. "We felt she is one of the deserving candidates so we sent across her name."
Mirabai recovered from a back injury that hampered slowed down her progress in 2018 and could not attain a podium place at the 2019 Asian Championships by a whisker. She went on to scale the 200kg mark at the subsequent world championships, lifting 87 kg in snatch and 114 kg in clean and jerk for a total of 201kg.
Rahul won two Commonwealth Championships gold medals and also won gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Punam also won at the 2018 CWG and has won a silver at the Commonwealth Championships.
The Sports Ministry had on May 5 invited nominations for the 2020 National Sports Awards including the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Arjuna Award. The ministry has asked for nominations to be sent via e-mail in view of the coronavirus situation.