M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi:

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil gave away the national sports awards at an impressive investiture ceremony at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan here this evening. For the first time three sports persons shared the highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award — women’s world boxing champion Mangte Chungneijang Marykom, Beijing Olympic bronze medallist in boxing Vijender Singh and Olympic bronze medallist in wrestling Sushil Kumar. Only twice before the Khel Ratna Award was shared.

In 2002, athlete K.M. Beenamol and shooter Anjali R. Bhagwat shared the award while Cdr Homi D. Motivala and Lt Cdr P.K.Garg had won it in 1993-1994. Fifteen sportspersons were bestowed the Arjuna Award, four got the Dronacharya Award, three received the Dhyan Chand Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award went to four and the newly-introduced Rashtriya Khel Prohtasan Pruskar to two institutions — Tata Steel and Railway Sports Control Board. Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee herself was present to receive the award for Railways.

Punjabi University (Patiala) Vice-Chancellor Dr Jaspal Singh, along with two sportspersons, received the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, for excellence in sports at the University level. Punjabi emerged as the champion university for the second time. This year, there were no absentee awardees.

All the selected sportspersons were personally present to receive the awards, in front of a distinguished gathering, which included Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr M.S.Gill, Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi, IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, State Sports Minister Kiran Choudhary and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. There was a uniqueness in the selection of the Dronacharya Awardees as the trainees of all the four Dronacharyas also received the Arjuna Awards. Badminton ace Pullela Gopichand’s prodige Saina Nehwal (Arjuna), Satpal’s trainee Sushil Kumar (Khel Ratna), Baldev Singh’s ward Surender Kaur (Arjuna) and Jaydev Bisht’s trainee Vijender Singh (Khel Ratna) were among the awardees.

Sadly, the brochure produced on the occasion contained many a bloomer. The Arjuna Award was given as “Arjun Award” while a couple of photographs had the wrong athletes in the action shot.

Hockey coach Baldev Singh of the famous Shahabad Hockey Academy in Haryana was very scathing in is criticism of the women’s hockey setup. He said it was time women’s hockey coaches like M.K.Kaushik and G.S.Banghu packed their bags and left the scene, giving way to talented, younger coaches. Baldev said he was not sure who recommended his name for the Dronacharya Award. “Perhaps the Haryana Government”, he said tentatively. He had high praise for former Indian Hockey Federation president KPS Gill as during his tenure he got an opportunity to train the men’s national team.

He challenged the national women’s hockey team to have a match against his Shahbad girls team, and “we would beat them by at least four goals”. “I challenge anyone who can beat the Shahbad girls and I will pay them Rs 20-25 lakh”.

Baldev also said he could beat even the national teams of Holland, Spain, Germany etc given a months time to train his girls. Baldev Singh said there was so much talent in Shahbad that he would pick a national team from there. “But the women’s hockey federation has been deliberately keeping out our girls in one pretex or the other”, he added.