The Awards selection committee today recommended 17 names for the prestigious Arjuna Award this year. From cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara and Harmanpreet Kaur were recommended. Pujara has been one of the top performers for the Indian cricket team in last few years and is currently playing his 50th Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. The Saurashtra batsman also scored a century to make the day more memorable. Pujara had made his Test debut against Australia in Bangalore in 2010 and so far has scored 3966 runs in 49 Tests. He has 13 centuries to his name. Harmanpreet Kaur, got fame with her stellar innings against Australia where she scored 171 not out from 115 balls in the semi-final of the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup.
Apart from this, Devendra Jhajharia created history as he became the first paralympian to be conferred with the highest sporting honour –the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna along with Sardar Singh as its second nominee for the top honour. Javelin thrower Jhajharia, who was the first Indian to win two Paralympic gold medals, was the first choice of the awards selection committee headed by Justice (Retd) C K Thakkar.
Here is Arjuna Award winners full list:
1. V J Surekha (Archery),
2. Khushbir Kaur (Athletics),
3. Rajiv Arokia (Athletics),
4. Prasanthi Singh (Basketball),
5. L Devendro Singh (Boxing),
6. Cheteshwar Pujara (Cricket),
7. Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket),
8. Oinam Bembem Devi (Football),
9. SSP Chawrasia (Golf),
10. S V Sunil (Hockey),
11. Jasvir Singh (Kabaddi),
12. P N Prakash (Shooting),
13. A Amalraj (Table Tennis),
14. Saketh Myneni (Tennis),
15. Satyawart Kadian (Wrestling),
16. Mariyappan Thangavelu (Para-Athlete)
17. Varun Bhati (Para-Athlete)
The Arjuna Awards started in the year 1961, are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize outstanding achievement in sports. The award carries a cash prize of rupees 500,000, a ceremonial dress, a scroll of honour, and a bronze statuette of Arjuna.