Double trap shooter Ronjan Sodhi was conferred India's highest sporting honour - the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna - in a dazzling ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Saturday. Virat Kohli's meteoric rise in world cricket too was recognised as he received the Arjuna Award.
President Pranab Mukherjee presented Arjuna, Dronacharya, Dhyan Chand and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan awards among others. The venue this time was Durbar Hall instead of the usual Ashoka Hall.
Sodhi was the first to be feted, getting a medal, citation and cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh.
The 33-year-old is the seventh shooter after Abhinav Bindra (2001-02), Anjali Bhagwat (2002-03), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (2004-05), Manavjit Singh Sandhu (2006-07), Gagan Narang (2010-11) and Vijay Kumar (2011-12) to get the top sports award instituted in 1991.
Stylish batsman Kohli, one of the 15 Arjuna Awardees, stole the limelight when the awards were announced while the biggest applause was reserved for para-athlete Amit Kumar Saroha.
The recipients in the category got a cash prize of Rs.5 lakh besides statuettes and citations.
It was a memorable day for Nagaland archer Chekrovolu Swuro, who became first Arjuna Awardee from the north-eastern state.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna: Ronjan Sodhi
Arjuna Awards:
Chekrovolu Swuro (Archery)
P.V. Sindhu (Badminton)
Kavita Chahal (Boxing)
Rupesh Shah (Snooker and Billiards)
Virat Kohli (Cricket)
Abhijeet Gupta (Chess)
Gaganjeet Bhullar (Golf)
Saba Anjum (Hockey)
Rajkumari Rathore (Shooting)
Joshna Chinappa (Squash)
Neha Rathi (Wrestling)
Dharmender Dalal (Wrestling)
Mouma Das (Table Tennis)
Amit Kumar Saroha (Para Athletics)
Dronacharya Awards:
Purnima Mahato (Archery)
Mahavir Singh (Boxing)
Narinder Singh Saini (Hockey)
K.P. Thomas (Athletics)
Raj Singh (Wrestling)
Dhyan Chand Awards:
Mary D'souza Sequeira (Athletics)
Syed Ali (Hockey)
Anil Mann (Wrestling)
Girraj Singh (Para sports, Athletics)
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar:
Community Sports Identification and Nurturing of Budding Young Talent: U.K. Mishra, founder and president, National Sports Academy, Allahabad.
Financial Support for Sports Excellence: Services Sports Control Board.
Establishment and Management of Sports Academies of Excellence: Pullela Gopichand Academy of Badminton, Hyderabad.
Employment of Sportspersons and sports welfare measures: Petroleum Sports Promotion Board.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 2010-11; Punjabi University, Patiala, 2011-12 and 2012-13.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards: Basanta Singh Roy, Major Ranveer Singh Jamwal (land adventure), Lt. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy (water adventure), Naib Subedar Parmjit Singh Sidhu (air adventure), Prem Singh and Hira Ram (lifetime achievement).
--With IANS Inputs--
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