- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (RGKR) is India’s highest honour given for achievement in sports
- "Khel Ratna" literally translate to "Sports Gem" in Hindi.
- award is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India.
- cash component stands at Rs. 500,000/- (c.11,500 USD)
- The award was instituted in the year 1991-92 to supply the lack of a supreme national accolade in the field of sports. Predating the RGKR are the Arjuna awards that have always been given to outstanding sportspersons in each of many sporting disciplines every year.
- A selection committee consisting of eminent people affiliated to sports is constituted every year by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to evaluate sporting performances.
- performance between April 1 of one year to March 31 of the next year is considered. To qualify for this award, a sportsperson or team must take part in discipline that is included in the Olympic Games, the Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games.
- A person can receive this award only once in his lifetime
- must be nominated for the award by a member of parliament, state governments, the Sports Authority of India or national sports federations.
- nominee is invested with the award by the President of India.
List of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees
| S.No. | Year | Name of the Sportsperson(s) | Sport Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 1991-92 | Viswanathan Anand | Chess |
| 02 | 1992-93 | Geet Sethi | Billiards |
| 03 | 1993-94 | Not Conferred* | - |
| 04 | 1994-95 | Cdr. Homi D. Motivala and Lt. Cdr. P. K. Garg | Yachting (Team Event) |
| 05 | 1995-96 | Karnam Malleswari | Weightlifting |
| 06 | 1996-97 | Leander Paes and Nameirakpam Kunjarani (Joint) | Tennis and Weightlifting respectively |
| 07 | 1997-98 | Sachin Tendulkar | Cricket |
| 08 | 1998-99 | Jyotirmoyee Sikdar | Athletics |
| 09 | 1999-2000 | Dhanraj Pillay | Hockey |
| 10 | 2000-01 | Pullela Gopichand | Badminton |
| 11 | 2001-02 | Abhinav Bindra | Shooting |
| 12 | 2002-03 | Anjali Ved Pathak Bhagwat and K. M. Beenamol (Joint) | Shooting and Athletics respectively |
| 13 | 2003-04 | Anju Bobby George | Athletics |
| 14 | 2004-05 | Lt. Col Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore | Shooting |
| 15 | 2005-06 | Pankaj Advani | Billiards and Snooker |
| 16 | 2006-07 | Manavjit Singh Sandhu | Shooting |
| 17 | 2007-08 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | Cricket |
| 18 | 2008-09 | Mary Kom,Sushil Kumar,Vijender Kumar | Boxing, Wrestling, Boxing |
- The award was not conferred upon any sportsperson or team in the year 1993-94.
