Stepanie (Hôte)
| | It was an evening to remember for country's top sportspersons, who received the prestigious sports awards from President Pranab Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony here on Saturday. <br>Tennis ace Sania Mirza, who was conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, and Arunima Sinha, the first female amputee to climb the Mount Everest, received the biggest round of applause as they walked down the aisle to receive their respective awards at the Durbar Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan. <br>Arunima, who lost her left leg after she was thrown out of a moving train in 2011, received the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. <br> Sania Mirza receives the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee in the Capital<br>Like in the past the awards had its share of controversies with some of the athletes, who couldn't make it to the list of awardees, challenging the decision of the selection committee in the court of law.
While Sania walked away with the highest sporting honour in the country, 17 sportspersons, including world no. 3 badminton player Kidambi Srikanth and ace shooter Jitu Rai were among those who received the Arjuna Awards. <br>Quarter-miler M.R.
Poovamma, boxer Mandeep Jangra, cricketer Rohit Sharma and wrestler Babita couldn't make it to the ceremony to personally receive their Arjuna awards as they were on national duties outside India. <br>Unfortunately, rower Sawarn Singh Virk, who won a bronze medal at the Incheon Asian Games, could not attend the ceremony as he was hospitalised for treatment of an injury. <br> Badminton player Kidambi Srikanth was among the 17 Arjuna Awardees<br>RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA: Sania Mirza <br>DRONACHARYA AWARD: Naval Singh (Athletics- Para-sports), Anoop Singh (Wrestling), Harbans Singh (Athletics- Lifetime), Swatantar Raj Singh (Boxing - Lifetime), Nihar Ameen (Swimming- Lifetime) <br>ARJUNA AWARD: Sandeep Kumar (Archery), M.R.
Poovamma (Athletics), Kidambi Srikanth (Badminton), Mandeep Jangra (Boxing), Rohit Sharma (Cricket), Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastic), P.R. Sreejesh (Hockey), Manjeet Chhillar (Kabaddi), Abhilasha Shashikant Mhatre (Kabaddi), Sawarn Singh (Rowing), Anup Kumar Yama (Roller Skating), Jitu Rai (Shooting), S.
Sathish Kumar (Weightlifting), Bajrang (Wrestling), Babita Kumari (Wrestling), Yumnam Sanathoi Devi (Wushu), Sharath M. Gayakwad (Para-Swimming) <br>DHYAN CHAND AWARD: Romeo James (Hockey), Shiv Prakash Mishra (Tennis), T.P.P.
Nair (Volleyball) <br> Former volleyball player T.P.
Padmanabhan Nair receives the Dhyan Chand Award<br> Shooter kembar jitu (https://linkr.bio/kembarjitu4d) Rai is all smiles as he receives the Arjuna Award<br> |
