Two-time Paralympic gold-medalist Devendra Jhajharia on Thursday became the first Paralympian to be recommended for the country’s highest sporting honor, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award along with former Hockey captain Sardar Singh.

Former Hockey player Sardar Singh and Paralympic javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia, who won the gold medal in the 2016 Rio Paralympics, have been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country’s highest honor for sportspersons.

The 36-year-old Jhajharia’s two gold medals came in the 2004 Athens Games and last year’s Rio Paralympics and he set new world records on both the occasions. He also won a gold medal at the 2013 World Championships.

Sardar, on the other hand, has been a constant in India’s fast-improving standing in international hockey. The 31-year-old, regarded as one of the ace midfielders in the world, became the youngest player to captain the Indian hockey team when he led the side at the 2008 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

A recipient of the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India in 2015, Sardar has two Asian Games medals, gold in 2014 Incheon and bronze in 2010 Guangzhou. He also has two Commonwealth Games silver medals and was named in the International Hockey Federation’s All-Star team twice in 2010, 2011.

“My hard work for the last 15-20 years has paid off. It is the biggest of all sporting honors and the credit for that goes to my teammates because without them I couldn’t have achieved what I have,” Sardar said.

While cricketers Cheteshwar Pujara, Harmanpreet Kaur, Paralympic medallists Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Bhati, golfer SSP Chaurasia and hockey player S V Sunil were listed among 17 sportspersons for Arjuna awards.

The selection committee headed by Justice (Retd) CK Thakkar announced the list. The final call on this would be taken by the sports ministry.

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Last year, PV Sindhu, Sakshi Malik, Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai were honored with the Khel Ratna awards. It was the first time the Khel Ratna was awarded to four sportspersons.