Once a year, at least once a year, India wakes up to the truth that there are more sports played in the country than cricket, chess, and Sania and Leander. That's the time the Arjuna award nominations are announced.
Of course, sometimes the award-winners appear to benefit from the system of representation for different sports. Still, the nominees are usually deserving performers. Here are the sportspersons named in 2015 for their “outstanding achievement in sports". How many are you familiar with?
Sandeep Kumar: Archery
Sandeep Kumar, an Army-man from Pune, richly deserves his nomination. At the Asian Games in Incheon last year, Kumar, along with his teammates Abhishek Verma and Rajat Chauhan, pulled off a massive upset when they defeated a formidable Korean team to win the men’s compound archery event. It was the first time India had won gold in a bow and arrow event.
MR Poovamma: Athletics
With a worldwide ranking of 42 in the 400 metre category, MR Poovamma is one of India’s most talented young athletes. She won a bronze in the individual women’s 400m race and gold in the 4X400 m relay race at Incheon in 2014. Besides this, Poovamma has won plenty of medals at the Asian Grand Prix.
Mandeep Jangra: Boxing
This 22-year old demonstrated that the future of Indian boxing is in safe hands after winning silver for India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow in the welterweight category. Jangra has also won silver at the 2013 Asian Amateur Boxing Championship. Coached by Akhil Kumar, he is clearly an exciting prospect.
Rohit Sharma: Cricket
Whatever the public opinion might be, it can’t be denied that Rohit Sharma has had an excellent couple of years, becoming the first person in the world to score two double centuries in international ODI cricket. He had a good World Cup too, with his 137 against Bangladesh in the quarter-final standing out in particular.
Dipa Karmakar: Gymnastics
At 22, Dipa Karmakar has already created history – she is the first Indian women gymnast, and only the second Indian in the discipline, to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games, grabbing a bronze in the women’s vault event in the 2014 edition. That’s not all, she came very close to winning a bronze again at the Incheon Asian Games, finishing fourth. Karmakar richly deserves the nomination for the Arjuna Award.
PR Sreejesh: Hockey
It was Sreejesh’s heroics that led to a famous Indian victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the 2014 Asian Games. The man from Kerala put in a sensational performance, stopping two penalty strokes in the shootout to deny Pakistan and put India on course. Sreejesh has acquired quite a reputation as a shot-stopper, and was adjudged the Goalkeeper of the Tournament in the 2014 Champions Trophy.
Jitu Rai: Shooting
Jitu Rai has made it a habit of getting medals – he’s won more than six medals in the past one year! His medals include a silver and a gold at the 2014 ISSF World Cup (the first time an Indian shooter won two medals in a World Cup), a gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and then gold and bronze again at the Asian Games in Incheon. The Arjuna Award will be a fitting culmination!
Sathish Kumar: Weightlifting
Sathish Kumar entered the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a relative unknown, but soon made heads turn his way – he won a gold in the 77 kg category and set a new Commonwealth record. He pulled out of the Asian Games later that year for ill-health, but there’s no doubt that the future is rosy for this 23-year old from Tamil Nadu.
Bajrang Kumar: Wrestling
It’s been an impressive 2014 for the 21-year old Bajrang Kumar from Haryana. He started it off with a silver medal in the 61 kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and then won another silver at the Asian Games in Incheon. His next target? The 2015 World Wrestling Championships in September.
Babita Kumari Phogat: Wrestling
Babita Kumari Phogat is easily one of India’s foremost female wrestlers – she won the silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and did one better in 2014, winning the gold. Phogat comes from a true sporting family – her sister Geeta won India’s first gold in women’s wrestling in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The story of the sisters and of their father, who coached them, forms the basis of Aamir Khan’s next film, Dangal.
Sanathoi Devi: Wushu
Sanathoi Devi’s story is truly inspirational. The maverick from Manipur shrugged off a kidney operation to win a bronze in the women’s Sanda 52 kg category at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. A two-time World Championship silver medallist, Devi is a source of inspiration for many young athletes in the North East.
Sharath Gayakwad: Para-Swimming
If you haven’t heard of this 24-year old from Bangalore, here’s an interesting fact about him: Sharath Gayakwad broke PT Usha’s record for the largest number of medals won by an Indian at a multi-disciplinary event, winning 6 medals at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. He also became the first Indian to compete at the Paralympics when he took part in the London edition in 2012.
Manjeet Chillar: Kabaddi
Part of the gold-winning Indian team at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2013 Asian Indoor Games, Manjeet Chillar is described as “one of the most accomplished all-rounders in world kabaddi today.” Chillar is part of the Bengaluru Bulls franchise in the Pro Kabaddi League and was one of the best defenders in the 2014 season.
Abhilasha Mhatre: Kabaddi
Nerul resident Abhilasha Mhatre would commute long hours everyday to Chembur just for training. The grind finally paid off when she became part of the gold-winning Indian women’s kabaddi team at the 2014 Asian Games. Mhatre played a major role in the final, showing off her strong raiding skills to take India to victory.
Anup Kumar Yama: Roller Skating
Anup Kumar Yama had reasons to feel dejected last year, missing out on the Arjuna Award in 2014 despite having won a plethora of medals in a number of events at the international and Asian stage, besides being the only medallist ever from India in a World Championship. This year too, things have been going well for him, including, finally, the Arjuna Award nomination.
Swaran Singh: Rowing
Swaran’s Singh tale is one of sheer determination, as the 25-year old from Punjab fought a broken back to win a bronze in the Men’s Single Sculls event at the 2014 Asian Games. Among his other achievements are finishing in the last eight at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and winning gold at the 2013 Asian Rowing Championship.
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Of course, sometimes the award-winners appear to benefit from the system of representation for different sports. Still, the nominees are usually deserving performers. Here are the sportspersons named in 2015 for their “outstanding achievement in sports". How many are you familiar with?
Sandeep Kumar: Archery
Sandeep Kumar, an Army-man from Pune, richly deserves his nomination. At the Asian Games in Incheon last year, Kumar, along with his teammates Abhishek Verma and Rajat Chauhan, pulled off a massive upset when they defeated a formidable Korean team to win the men’s compound archery event. It was the first time India had won gold in a bow and arrow event.
MR Poovamma: Athletics
With a worldwide ranking of 42 in the 400 metre category, MR Poovamma is one of India’s most talented young athletes. She won a bronze in the individual women’s 400m race and gold in the 4X400 m relay race at Incheon in 2014. Besides this, Poovamma has won plenty of medals at the Asian Grand Prix.
Mandeep Jangra: Boxing
This 22-year old demonstrated that the future of Indian boxing is in safe hands after winning silver for India at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow in the welterweight category. Jangra has also won silver at the 2013 Asian Amateur Boxing Championship. Coached by Akhil Kumar, he is clearly an exciting prospect.
Rohit Sharma: Cricket
Whatever the public opinion might be, it can’t be denied that Rohit Sharma has had an excellent couple of years, becoming the first person in the world to score two double centuries in international ODI cricket. He had a good World Cup too, with his 137 against Bangladesh in the quarter-final standing out in particular.
Dipa Karmakar: Gymnastics
At 22, Dipa Karmakar has already created history – she is the first Indian women gymnast, and only the second Indian in the discipline, to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games, grabbing a bronze in the women’s vault event in the 2014 edition. That’s not all, she came very close to winning a bronze again at the Incheon Asian Games, finishing fourth. Karmakar richly deserves the nomination for the Arjuna Award.
PR Sreejesh: Hockey
It was Sreejesh’s heroics that led to a famous Indian victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in the final of the 2014 Asian Games. The man from Kerala put in a sensational performance, stopping two penalty strokes in the shootout to deny Pakistan and put India on course. Sreejesh has acquired quite a reputation as a shot-stopper, and was adjudged the Goalkeeper of the Tournament in the 2014 Champions Trophy.
Jitu Rai: Shooting
Jitu Rai has made it a habit of getting medals – he’s won more than six medals in the past one year! His medals include a silver and a gold at the 2014 ISSF World Cup (the first time an Indian shooter won two medals in a World Cup), a gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and then gold and bronze again at the Asian Games in Incheon. The Arjuna Award will be a fitting culmination!
Sathish Kumar: Weightlifting
Sathish Kumar entered the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as a relative unknown, but soon made heads turn his way – he won a gold in the 77 kg category and set a new Commonwealth record. He pulled out of the Asian Games later that year for ill-health, but there’s no doubt that the future is rosy for this 23-year old from Tamil Nadu.
Bajrang Kumar: Wrestling
It’s been an impressive 2014 for the 21-year old Bajrang Kumar from Haryana. He started it off with a silver medal in the 61 kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and then won another silver at the Asian Games in Incheon. His next target? The 2015 World Wrestling Championships in September.
Babita Kumari Phogat: Wrestling
Babita Kumari Phogat is easily one of India’s foremost female wrestlers – she won the silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and did one better in 2014, winning the gold. Phogat comes from a true sporting family – her sister Geeta won India’s first gold in women’s wrestling in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. The story of the sisters and of their father, who coached them, forms the basis of Aamir Khan’s next film, Dangal.
Sanathoi Devi: Wushu
Sanathoi Devi’s story is truly inspirational. The maverick from Manipur shrugged off a kidney operation to win a bronze in the women’s Sanda 52 kg category at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. A two-time World Championship silver medallist, Devi is a source of inspiration for many young athletes in the North East.
Sharath Gayakwad: Para-Swimming
If you haven’t heard of this 24-year old from Bangalore, here’s an interesting fact about him: Sharath Gayakwad broke PT Usha’s record for the largest number of medals won by an Indian at a multi-disciplinary event, winning 6 medals at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. He also became the first Indian to compete at the Paralympics when he took part in the London edition in 2012.
Manjeet Chillar: Kabaddi
Part of the gold-winning Indian team at the 2014 Asian Games and the 2013 Asian Indoor Games, Manjeet Chillar is described as “one of the most accomplished all-rounders in world kabaddi today.” Chillar is part of the Bengaluru Bulls franchise in the Pro Kabaddi League and was one of the best defenders in the 2014 season.
Abhilasha Mhatre: Kabaddi
Nerul resident Abhilasha Mhatre would commute long hours everyday to Chembur just for training. The grind finally paid off when she became part of the gold-winning Indian women’s kabaddi team at the 2014 Asian Games. Mhatre played a major role in the final, showing off her strong raiding skills to take India to victory.
Anup Kumar Yama: Roller Skating
Anup Kumar Yama had reasons to feel dejected last year, missing out on the Arjuna Award in 2014 despite having won a plethora of medals in a number of events at the international and Asian stage, besides being the only medallist ever from India in a World Championship. This year too, things have been going well for him, including, finally, the Arjuna Award nomination.
Swaran Singh: Rowing
Swaran’s Singh tale is one of sheer determination, as the 25-year old from Punjab fought a broken back to win a bronze in the Men’s Single Sculls event at the 2014 Asian Games. Among his other achievements are finishing in the last eight at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and winning gold at the 2013 Asian Rowing Championship.
