National sports awards presented

August 29, 2014 11:23 pm | Updated 11:23 pm IST - NEW DELHI:

WELL DONE: Squash player Anaka Alankamony receiving the Arjuna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee. Photo; S. Subramanium

WELL DONE: Squash player Anaka Alankamony receiving the Arjuna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee. Photo; S. Subramanium

Top sportspersons from various disciplines and eminent coaches were honoured by President Pranab Mukherjee at the 2014 National Sports Adventure Awards function at the Durbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan, here on Friday. Arjuna awardee R. Ashwin, now in England, was the lone absentee at the ceremony.

The Arjuna award came as a confidence booster for ace shooter Heena Sidhu. “It is nice to be recognised by the Government. If I give a spectacular performance in the World Championship than at the Asian Games, then I will take that.”

Golfer Anirban Lahiri withdrew from an event in Italy to receive the award. “It came as a pleasant surprise. This has been a good year for me and I want to get into the top-50 in the world rankings and win the Asian Tour Order of Merit.”

Delhi lad Abhishek Verma was proud to become the first archer from the city to win the laurel. “I have been in good touch right now. It is matter of delight that I am the first ever compound archer to receive the honour.”

Two seasoned Kerala athletes, volleyball star Tom Joseph and woman basketball player Geethu Anna Jose, were thrilled after a long wait.

“I have been applying for this for several years now. However, I am glad I could make it,” said 34-year-old Joseph.

Geethu, the first woman hoopster after Suman Sharma (in 1983) to claim the award wore an ear-to-ear smile. “It is good for the sport and I am excited to be selected for the honour,” said 29-year-old, who was also the first basketball player to be selected for Arjuna award after Parminder Singh in 2001.

In the absence of any Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna winner, the function started with the presentation of Dronacharya awards. Greco-Roman wrestling coach Mahabir Prasad said that with better planning Greco-Roman wrestlers could make a mark in the Olympics.

Boxing coach G. Manoharan, who had bagged the Arjuna award in 1981, was elated to make it a rare double. “I have been applying for the Dronacharya award for the last eight years. Thankfully, I have been rewarded for my contribution as a coach.”

Former Asian Games gold medallist and current Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali was a little emotional about getting the Dhyan Chand award after being ignored for the Arjuna honour. “It feels good that my effort as a player and a coach is finally recognised.”

The awardees:

Arjuna award: Abhishek Verma (archery), Tintu Luka (athletics), H.N. Girisha (para-athletics), V. Diju (badminton), Geethu Anna Jose (basketball), Jai Bhagwan (boxing), R. Ashwin (cricket), Anirban Lahiri (golf), Mamta Pujari (kabaddi), Saji Thomas (rowing), Heena Sidhu (shooting), Anaka Alankamony (squash), Tom Joseph (volleyball), Renubala Chanu (weightlifting), Sunil Kumar Rana (wrestling).

Dronacharya award: Mahabir Prasad (wrestling); Lifetime achievement: N. Lingappa (athletics), G. Manoharan (boxing), Gurcharan Singh Gogi (judo), Jose Jacob (rowing).

Dhyan Chand award: Gurmail Singh (hockey), K.P. Thakkar (swimming-diving), Zeeshan Ali (tennis).

Tenzing Norgay Awards: Land adventure: Subedar Jagat Singh, Passang Tenzing Sherpa; Air adventure: MWO Surender Singh; Lifetime achievement: Wg. Cdr. (retd) Amit Chowdhury.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy: Punjabi University, Patiala.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (employment of sports persons and sports welfare measures); Jindal Steel Works (community sports–identification and nurturing of budding/young talent); Guru Hanuman akhara (establishment and management of sports academies of excellence); Child Link Foundation of India–Magic Bus (other forms of sports activities not covered in the categories mentioned in the schemes).

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