The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has conferred annual awards to Indian sports persons and coaches. Hockey has its big share with as many as six personalities among the long list of awardees.

The foremost is Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal. She has got the coveted and most sought after Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. She is only the third hockey player to be honoured so after Dhanraj Pillay and Sardar Singh.

After 3 Asia Cups & Asian Games, Rani gets her third award: Arjuna, Padamshree and now Khel Ratna

Ajit Singh, who scored the fastest goal at the Montreal Olympics opener for India get the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games. His son Gagan Ajit Singh is also an Arjuna awardee, equivalent of Dhyan Chand award.

Himachal Pradesh’ Romesh Pathania gets Dronacharya Award (Life-Time achievement), and world Cup captain and Arjuna award winner (1994) Jude Felix gets the double with the Dronacharya Award this time. Prolific scorer of the current Indian team Akashdeep Singh gets Arjuna while Deepika Thakur, who retired last year, gets the same honour.

Much delayed but it has come

“It is a really proud moment for me and especially for my family as well. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is one of the most prestigious awards that a sportsperson can receive, and I owe this to my Coaches, teammates, friends and family for their constant support since the very beginning. It is an amazing feeling when your hard work is rewarded, and I believe this Award will serve as a great motivation for me and players like me to keep striving for bigger feats and make the country proud. I also would like to congratulate all the other award winners too,” stated 25-year-old Rani, who is currently based out of the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.

An elated Akashdeep Singh said, “It is one of the most pleasing moments for me in my career to have been conferred with the Arjuna Award. I would like to thank the jury, and all my Coaches, teammates, friends and family who have been a part of my hockey journey so far. I believe patience and hard-work always earn you rewards, and I am very thankful to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for recognising my hard-work and I would also like to thank Hockey India for always being a pillar of support in my career.”

Officiating President, Hockey India, Gyanendro Ningombam  congratulated all the award winners.