$~95 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 475/2025 YOGESH KATHUNIA .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Nitin Yadav, Mr. Shailesh K. Yadav and Mr. Ashutosh Singh, Advs. versus UNION OF INDIA AND ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Abdhesh Chaudhary, CGSC and Ms. Geetanjali Setia, Adv., Ms. Samiksha, GP for UOI. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA O R D E R % 15.01.2025 CM APPL. 2217/2025 (Exemption) 1. Allowed, subject to all just exceptions. 2. Application stands disposed of. W.P.(C) 475/2025 and CM APPL. 2218/2025 (Stay) 3. The petitioner, an accomplished paralympian and an Arjuna Awardee, has invoked the jurisdiction of this Court, challenging his non-inclusion in the list of awardees of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024. 4. On 24.10.2024, the respondent no.1 invited applications for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024 and the petitioner applied for the same. However, the petitioner’s name was not included in the name of awardees, which was announced on 02.01.2025. The petitioner is aggrieved with the same. 5. It is strenuously contended that the petitioner’s past performance and This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/01/2025 at 14:57:44 sporting achievements merited consideration for the purpose of the aforesaid award. It is submitted that the petitioner’s sporting achievements stand on a higher pedestal as compared to the other awardees. 6. After some hearing, with the consent of respective counsel for the parties, the present petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondent no.2 to conduct a fresh scrutiny of the petitioner’s application in accordance with the scheme of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024 and take a suitable decision on the application of the petitioner. 7. Let a suitable decision be taken by the respondent no.2 expeditiously, under intimation to the petitioner, and if the petitioner is found eligible, then the requisite steps be taken to confer the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award-2024 on the petitioner. 8. The petition is accordingly disposed of in the above terms. SACHIN DATTA, J JANUARY 15, 2025/cl This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 24/01/2025 at 14:57:44