India honors its best in a dazzling national awards ceremony

New Delhi: Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, India’s opening Shikhar Dhawan, veteran cricket Mithali Raj and historic Paralympic stars share the spotlight as the president awarded India’s highest sporting honor to an unprecedented 12 athletes – Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratnan. Ram Nath Kovind here on Saturday.

At a glittering ceremony here at Rashtrapati Bhawan’s Durbar Hall, the President also awarded the Arjuna Prize to 35 athletes in recognition of the country’s unparalleled Olympic and Paralympic performances this year.

The incident became a personal incident this time after it had been online the previous year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The highlight of the evening was Chopra, who received his Khel Ratna Award amidst the stormy applause of selected dignitaries present at a special event.

Chopra, who became India’s first athletics Olympic medalist and first gold medalist in 13 years, was the first among the Khel Ratna laureates to receive the honor.

In addition to the 23-year-old star, other Khel Ratna award recipients were Olympic bronze-winning captain Manpreet Singh of the Indian men’s hockey team, veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Olympic silver wrestler Ravi Dahiya, Olympic bronze-winning boxer Lovlina Borgohain. and Mithali, who became the first female cricket player to receive the award.

Sunil Chhetri became the first football player to receive an award that is a well-deserved recognition for keeping up with international goals like Lionel Mess.

Paralympic gold winners Avani Lekhara (shooting), Sumit Antil (athletics), Pramod Bhagat (badminton), Krishna Nagar (badminton), Manish Narwal (shooting) also received Khel Ratna.

In addition to 12 Khel Ratna, India was awarded this year 35 Arjuna winners, including cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, Olympic bronze winner men’s hockey team and other Paralympic medal winners.

This year’s long list is the result of historic medals at the Olympics (7) and Paralympics (19).

The event is traditionally held every year on August 29 to commemorate the birthday of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

The Khel Ratna Prize includes a cash prize of 25,000 rupees, the medal being a certificate of honor.

The Arjuna Award includes 15,000 rupees, a bronze statue and a scroll of honor.

Saturday’s ceremony was attended by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and a number of other dignitaries, including his predecessor Kiren Rijiju.

Given the unprecedented Olympic and Paralympic performance of Indian athletes this year, the number of winners increased this year.

The Khel Ratna Award is given for the athlete’s most outstanding and significant performance in the previous four years.

In India’s 19 Paralympics, the Sámi included five gold, eight silver and six bronze.

In addition, a total of 10 coaches were awarded the Dronacharya Awards this year.

TP Ouseph (athletics), Sarkar Talwar (cricket), Sarpal Singh (hockey), Ashan Kumar (Kabaddi) and Tapan Kumar Panigrahi (swimming) were honored.

The winners of the regular Dronacharya class were: Radhakrishnan Nair P (athletics), Sandhya Gurung (boxing), Pritam Siwach (hockey), Jai Prakash Nautiyal (para shooting) and Subramanian Raman (table tennis).

In addition to the assistant coach at the national camp, Gurung is also the personal coach of Borgohain, who received the Arjuna Award last year.

Sajjan Singh (Wrestling) won the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement with former world and Asian champion boxer Lekha KC, Abhijeet Kunte (Chess), Davinder Singh Garcha (hockey) and Vikas Kumari (Kabaddi).

This year’s awards selection committee was chaired by Justice (Vent.) Mukundakam Sharma (former Supreme Court judge) and included three-time Paralympic-winning javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia, former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad and former world champion boxer L Sarita Devi. among others.

Awarded:

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Neeraj Chopra (athletics), Ravi Kumar (wrestling), Lovlina Borgohain (boxing), PR Sreejesh (hockey), Avani Lekhara (para shooting), Sumit Antil (para-sport), Pramod Bhagat (parachute), Krishna Nagar (parachute) Manish Narwal (para shooting), Mithali Raj (cricket), Sunil Chhetri (football), Manpreet Singh (hockey).

Arjuna Awards: Arpinder Singh (athletics), Simranjit Kaur (boxing), Shikhar Dhawan (cricket), CA Bhavani Devi (fencing), Monika (hockey), Vandana Katariya (hockey), Sandeep Narwal (Kabaddi), Himani Uttam Parab (Mallakhamb), Verma (shooting), Ankita Raina (tennis), Deepak Punia (wrestling), Dilpreet Singh (hockey), Harman Preet Singh (hockey), Rupinder Pal Singh (hockey), Surender Kumar (hockey), Amit Rohidas (hockey), Birendra Lakra (hockey), Sumit (hockey), Nilakanta Sharma (hockey), Hardik Singh (hockey), Vivek Sagar Prasad (hockey), Gurjant Singh (hockey), Mandeep Singh (hockey), Shamsher Singh (hockey), Lalit Kumar Up (Hockey), Varun Kumar (Hockey), Simranjeet Singh (Hockey), Yogesh Kathuniya (Para Athletics), Nishad Kumar (Para Athletics), Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics), Suhash Yathiraj (Para Badminton), Singhraj Adhana , Bhavina Patel (Para Table Tennis), Harvinder Singh (Para Archery) and Sharad Kumar (Para Athletics).

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: Manav Rachna Educational Institution and Indian Oil Corporation Limited encouraged sport through corporate social responsibility.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: University of Panjab, Chandigarh.

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