National Sports Awards 2023: Shami, Satwik-Chirag amongst these honoured by President Murmu

India’s best-performing athletes have been on Tuesday conferred with the nationwide sports activities awards by President Droupadi Murmu in a regal ceremony the place cricketer Mohammed Shami walked in to a rapturous applause on the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have been chosen for the coveted Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for a breakout 2023, throughout which they gained their maiden Asian Games gold – a primary for India in badminton – whereas additionally clinching the Asian Championships title and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title.

The duo is at the moment taking part in in Malaysia Open Super 1000 and subsequently skipped the perform.

The awards ceremony, often held on August 29 to commemorate the delivery anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, was deferred due to the Hangzhou Asian Games, which ran from September 23 to October 8 final 12 months.

An ambiance of gaiety pervaded the Rashtrapati Bhawan as 26 athletes and para-athletes have been conferred the Arjuna Awards.

Chirag and Satwik, who turned world No.1 final 12 months, could be aiming for an Olympic medal in Paris, having all however sealed qualification for the worldwide showpiece, to be held later this 12 months, by advantage of being world No. 2.

Shami, who’s at the moment recovering from an ankle harm, was there to obtain the honours. He took 24 wickets in seven World Cup video games final 12 months.

“My aim is to keep myself fit as far as possible, as the next two tournaments and series are big. I will focus on fitness,” he advised PTI at a sports activities ministry reception final evening.

Athletes posing with the President of India Droupadi Murmu after the Sports and Adventure Awards 2023 on the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday.
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Also receiving an enormous spherical of applause was the newly topped chess Grandmaster (GM) R. Vaishali, the elder sister of precocious chess expertise R. Praggnanandhaa.

Vaishali was honoured for turning into the third lady from the nation, after Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika, to show GM.

Pistol taking pictures sensation, 19-year-old Esha Singh, was among the many notable absentees as she is competing within the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta.

On Monday, she certified for the Paris Olympics after profitable the person and workforce gold in 10m air pistol occasions.

Other sporting bigwigs who have been chosen for the Arjuna Award this 12 months have been wrestler Antim Panghal, a former junior world champion and bronze-winner on the senior occasion final 12 months, boxer Mohammad Hussamuddin (bronze-winner eventually 12 months’s world championships), and para-archer Sheetal Devi.

Devi, who gained two gold medals within the Hangzhou Asian Games, is the primary worldwide para-archer with out higher limbs as a result of a uncommon situation known as Phocomelia.

Among the notable Dronacharya awardees this 12 months is chess coach RB Ramesh, who has groomed Praggnanandhaa.

While the Khel Ratna comes with a money prize of Rs. 25 lakh, the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards embody a money prize of Rs. 15 lakh.