Imphal, Aug 29: The nation will witness President Ram Nath Kovind awarding Arjuna Awards to 17 eminent sportsmen including Boxer Devendro Singh and footballer Oinam Bembem devi and who have brought laurels to the nation by winning medals at international sporting events today evening.
The awards will be conferred on today evening at Rastrapati Bhavan on occasion of the National Sports Day, which is celebrated on August 29 every year to mark the birthday of Dhyan Chand. Various programs are being conducted through the country to celebrate the National Sports day. A total of 29 players have been selected to receive the honours from President.
The President will also confer Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, and Dronacharya Award at Rashtrapati Bhawan. The Khel Ratna Award is honoured for the players spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years at international level. The Arjuna Awards are given to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports while the Dronacharya Award is sports coaching honour.
Given in the list is the list of Sports person to be conferred Arjuna Award:
Anthony Amalraj (Table Tennis): Anthony has been a constant threat for table tennis star Sharath Kamal and has time and again given the star a run for his money. But interestingly the Tamil Nadu born athlete paired with Kamal and won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Cheteshwar Pujara (Cricket): Having made his Test debut in 2010, Pujara recently played his 50th Test during the second game of the just concluded series against Sri Lanka.
Devendro Singh (Boxing): The boxer’s biggest achievement was winning the silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. He has been representing the country for over a decade now.
Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket): A part of the team that ended runners-up in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup, Harmanpreet has become a household name in recent times with her consistent showing on the cricket field. She was the first Indian to play in the Big Bash League.
Jasvir Singh (Kabaddi): He has been a vital cog of the national team and was also a member of the team that finished with a gold in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games and the 2016 World Cup.
Jyothi Surekha Vennam (Archery): A swimmer who turned archer, Jyothi has been a consistent performer, having won an individual gold in the 2015 Asian Championship.
Khushbir Kaur (Athletics): She made the headlines when she won the bronze in the 10km race walk at the Asian Junior Championship. She then went on to win a silver at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.
Oinam Bembem Devi (Football): She will be the second woman footballer after Shanti Mullick to receive the prestigious award. She was a member of the Indian team that won gold at the 2016 South Asian Games.
Prakash Nanjappa (Shooting): The pistol shooter won bronze in the 10m air pistol at the 2013 World Cup, then won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and followed it up with a team bronze at the Incheon Asian Games.
Prashanti Singh (Basketball): One of the most well-known faces in women’s basketball, she made her debut for the country in 2002 and represented India at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014.
Rajiv Arokia (Athletics): Arokia won bronze in the 2014 Asian Games and finished second in the Asian championships in Bhubaneswar last month. The 400m runner has been a consistent performer.
Saketh Myneni (Tennis): There has been a lot of debate on whether Rohan Bopanna should have been handed the award, but the jury went with the Davis Cupper won two medals at 2014 Incheon Asian Games.
Satyawart Kadian (Wrestling): He first represented India at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and ended up with the bronze medal. He recently won a gold at the 2016 Commonwealth Championship.
Shiv Chawrasia (Golf): In 2008, he won the Indian Masters and also has eight title on the Indian Tour. He made his Asian Tour debut in 2006 and has won six titles since.
SV Sunil (Hockey): The hockey star was adjudicated Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) Player of the Year in 2016. Having made his international debut in 2007, he has been an integral member of the national team.
Thangavelu Mariyappan (Para Athlete): He won gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in high jump and in the process became the first Indian to win gold since 2004.
Varun Bhati (Para Athlete): The high jumper picked bronze at the 2016 Paralympic Games and once again he claimed bronze at the World Para Athletics Championships in London.
The two sports persons selected for Khel Ratna Awards are
Devendra Jhajharia (Para Athlete) and Sardar Singh (Hockey).
