Revision as of 23:44, 24 August 2016

Arjuna awards: 2013

2013: THE ROLL OF HONOUR

Khel Ratna

Ronjan Sodhi

Arjuna Awards

Chekrovolu Swuro (Archery),

Renjith Maheshwary (Athletics)

PV 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)

Mouma Das (Table Tennis)

Neha Rathi (Wrestling)

Dharmender Dalal (Wrestling)

Amit Kumar Saroha (Athletics)

Those considered for Khel Ratna 2013

But did not make it

Somdev Devvarman (tennis)

Jeev Milkha Singh (golf)

HN Girisha (para athletics)

Krishna Poonia (athletics)

Sandeep Singh (hockey)

Bhupinder (powerlifting)

2013 awards: highlights

Gunmaster Sodhi gets coveted Khel Ratna

Biswajyoti Brahma | TNN

The Times of India 2013/08/14

Ronjan Sodhi got lucky the third time. The ace shooter was picked to receive the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, a decision which fulfilled a long-cherished dream of the Delhi-based marksman.

Sodhi, who won a silver medal in the World Cup finals 2013, got the nod of the selection panel on his third nomination — he was also nominated for the Khel Ratna in 2011 and 2012. 2013 is the third straight year that a shooter will receive the country’s highest sporting honour — Gagan Narang and Vijay Kumar got it 2011 and 2012 respectively – and Sodhi will become the seventh shooter to get it since the inception of the award in 1991.

“In 2009 when I went to the Rashtrapati Bhawan for the Arjuna award, wearing a red blazer, I couldn’t take my eyes off the three sportspersons in blue blazers who had won the Khel Ratna that year — Vijender Kumar, Sushil Kumar and MC Mary Kom. I thought that probably I would also get to wear the coveted blazer one day,” Sodhi told The Times of India.

The shooter said the award would motivate him to work harder to ensure a podium-finish in the Rio Olympics. “London was my first Olympics and I went there as one of the favourites. I went there with a lot of pressure on me. I was in extremely good form and my training was good. I was leading in the first round. Everything was on a platter for me. Somehow, London was not for me,” he said looking back.

“After London, a lot of things were written and spoken about me. That was one stage where I slipped and I had to prove myself again. I think I did that by winning the silver in the World Cup finals. Now awards like this can only encourage and motivate me to do well in the future. I am definitely going to work harder now and ensure that whatever disappointment was there in London should not be there in Rio.”

2013: controversies

Controversy strikes as awardees are named

SAI DG Dissents After An Arjuna Pick Is Dropped; Poonia, Girisha Livid After Snub

V Narayan Swamy, Srivathsa Sridhar & Ritu Sejwal | TNN

The Times of India 2013/08/14

Sports Authority of India (SAI) director general Jiji Thomson, who was one of the members of the committee, expressed his displeasure to the sports ministry that the name of former international volleyball player Tom Joseph, who was one of the 16 athletes chosen for the Arjuna, was removed from the list in his absence. He made it clear that he had nothing against the other 15 chosen.

The Khel Ratna row revolved around discus thrower Krishna Poonia and Paralympic silver medallist HN Girisha who lost out to shooter Ronjan Sodhi.

Sources in the selection committee contended that Poonia and Girisha were shortlisted for voting by 11 out of 12 panelists with Sodhi’s name not in contention. Poonia garnered an 8-3 verdict before one panel member made a late entry and swung the vote in favour of Sodhi.

Poonia was disappointed. “We talk about bringing change in the society, but no one supports you when it is time to encourage. My achievements, despite having a 12-year-old son, speak for themselves” she fumed.

Girisha, 25-year-old, who was awarded the Padma Shri this year, said the snub was a double blow after the ministry “failed to honour its promise” of giving him a job as a coach in the Sports Authority of India. “All other medal winners from the London Games have been treated with utmost respect and I’m still struggling for recognition,” Girisha said.

2015: The awardees

The Times of India, Aug 30 2015

In 2015, Sania Mirza became the world's women's doubles No. 1 the second tennis player to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award after Leander Paes.

A total of 12 athletes including Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold-winning shooter Jitu Rai, World wrestling bronze medalist Bajrang, world No. 4 shuttler K Srikanth and para-swimmer Sharath Gayakwad were conferred the Arjuna award, which carries a statuette, certificate and cash award of Rs 5 lakh. Nihar Ameen became the first swimming coach to get the Dronacharya Award, which also carries a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.

Arjuna

Bajrang Singh (wrestler), Kidambi Srikanth (Badminton), Sandeep Kumar (Archery), Dipa Karmakar (Gymnastics), Manjeet Chillar and Abhilasha Shashikant Mhatre (Kabaddi), Anup Kumar Yama (Roller skater), Sivalingam Sathish Kumar (weightlifting), Y Sanathoi Devi (Wushu) and Sharath M. Gaekwad (Para-swimming), Mandeep Jangra (Boxer), MR Poovamma (400m runner), Babita Kumari (Wrestling), Rohit Sharma (Cricket), Swarn Singh Virk (Rowing)

Dronacharya

Anoop Kumar Dahiya (wrestling), Harbans Singh (athletics), Swatantar Raj Singh (boxing), Nihar Ameen (swimming) and Naval Singh (para-athletics).

Dhyan Chand

TPP Nair (Volleyball), SP Misra (Tennis), Romeo James (Hockey)