The Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) has recommended the names of ace parashuttler Pramod Bhagat, shooter Manish Narwal, high jumper Sharad Kumar and javelin-thrower Sundar Singh Gurjar for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2021.
Recently the para-athletes have brought laurels for the country by winning medals at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Deepa Malik, the President of the PCI, “Our players did so well at the Paralympics and we are proud of them. These awards will motivate them to put more effort in the next Games and they deserve that too as they have made the nation proud.”
Javelin-thrower Sumit Antil and shooter Avani Lekhara have been recommended for the Arjuna Award.
Informing about them Deepa said, “Sumit Antil and Avani Lekhara will go for Arjuna Award this time, both of them have made the nation proud with their gold medals.”
The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur had announced on August that the medal winners in the Tokyo Paralympics will also be rewarded at this year’s National Sports Awards and hence the ceremony was postponed.
The Sports Department of Odisha and The Para Sports Association Odisha have already recommended the names of Paralympic Gold Medalist Pramod Bhagat for the prestigious Khel Ratna Award 2021 individually on July 4.