President Droupadi Murmu recognised more than 25 exceptional Indian athletes at the National Sports Awards 2022 event on Wednesday. Achanta Sharath Kamal, the veteran table tennis player, was bestowed with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, the highest honour awarded to a sportsperson in India, during the occasion that took place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
While Sharath was the only sportsperson to get the Khel Ratna award, 25 other athletes, including track and field athletes Eldhose Paul and Avinash Sable, shuttlers Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, and female boxer Nikhat Zareen, were conferred with the Arjuna Award.
The event is customarily conducted on August 29 to recognise the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand's birth anniversary. However, the event was held on a different day last year.
Sharath, who received his Khel Ratna award amid overwhelming applause from the distinguished guests present at the Durbar Hall, was the highlight of the programme.
The Khel Ratna is awarded for a sportsperson's most remarkable and outstanding exploits over the course of the past four years. It comes with a medal, a scroll of honour, and a monetary award of Rs. 25 lakh. The Arjuna award comes with a 15 lakh rupee cash reward, a bronze statue, and a scroll of honour.
With four medals, Sharath, 40, was the most decorated Indian athlete to have participated in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. He is the second player to be awarded the Khel Ratna in table tennis, after Manika Batra.
While Sharath garnered the most attention, the Arjuna winners who stole the show were the triple jumper Eldhose Paul, world champion boxer Zareen, boxer Amit Panghal, and the shuttler Sen, all of whom won gold at the Birmingham Games.
The complete list of sports stars presented with a National Sports Awards at the Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Droupadi Murmu is mentioned below:
Arjuna Awards:
Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games 2022 Regular Category:
Lifetime Category:
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games 2022:
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2022:
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2022:
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
Check out our in-depth Market Coverage, Business News & get real-time Stock Market Updates on CNBC-TV18. Also, Watch our channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar Live on-the-go!
Phase five Lok Sabha polls: Rae Bareli, Amethi among 14 UP seats going to polls on Monday
May 19, 2024 1:03 PM
AAP protest walk: Arvind Kejriwal challenges BJP to arrest entire party, Delhi Police imposes Section 144
May 19, 2024 12:26 PM
Terror attacks in Kashmir raise concerns ahead of May 20 and May 25 election
May 19, 2024 12:15 PM