The Sports Ministry on Tuesday released the list of 29 athletes who have been recommended for the Arjuna award 2020. While Sakshi Malik, Rahul Aware and Divya Kakran were amongst the few who got nominated for the national award, Deepak Punia’s exclusion has shocked many. The youngster is amongst India’s best performer at the international stage. From 2018 to 2020, he boasts three gold and two silver medals. Moreover, he is the first Indian to win Junior world championships in 18 years. Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar said, “The committee is usually formed by the Ministry and this year there was no one from the federation”.
Punia came into prominence after winning gold at the Asian championship in 2018. In the same year, he won silver at the junior world championships. However, 2019 became the breakout year for him. Besides winning gold at the junior worlds, he also became the youngest Indian wrestler to compete at the Nur-Sultan worlds. Deepak although lost the finals, the 21-year-old secured the Tokyo Olympics quota in 86kg weight category. WrestlingTV tried contacting the youngster on him missing out on the Arjuna award but he was unavailable.
Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya award recommendations from wrestling
Five members of the wrestling fraternity have been recommended by the panel for the National Sports Award 2020. While Vinesh Phogat has been nominated for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, Sakshi, Rahul and Divya have been recommended for Arjuna award. O.P. Yadav meanwhile has been nominated for Dronacharya Award.
Vinesh who was recommended for the consecutive year by Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for the award, says, “It is a proud moment for me. It was a long wait but it was worthwhile. If God permits I would live up to the reputation associated with this award”.
In a first, National award to be held virtually
For the first time, this year’s National Sports Awards ceremony, which normally held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, is likely to be conducted virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all the winners logging in from their respective places to hear their names being announced on August 29.
August 29 is celebrated as the National Sports Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.
The Khel Ratna comprises a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.
The Arjuna award comes with a cash prize of Rs 5,00,000, a bronze statue of mythological hero Arjuna and a scroll.
The National Sports Awards also include the Dronacharya and the Dhyan Chand honours for achievements in coaching. They are conferred every year by the President of India.