New Delhi: In a magnificent ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu presented the highly esteemed National Sports Awards to India’s exemplary athletes, recognizing their outstanding achievements in the field of sports.
The delayed event, traditionally scheduled for August 29, was rescheduled due to the Hangzhou Asian Games, which took place from September 23 to October 8.
Shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were bestowed with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award in recognition of their stellar performance throughout 2023. Despite their absence at the ceremony as they compete in the Malaysia Open Super 1000, the duo’s accomplishments are lauded. They secured India’s first badminton gold at the Asian Games, claimed victory at the Asian Championships, and triumphed at the Indonesia Open Super 1000.
Mohammed Shami, the ace cricketer currently recovering from an ankle injury, received a round of applause as he accepted the Arjuna Award. Shami played a crucial role in India’s ODI World Cup campaign, amassing an impressive 24 wickets in seven games.
A total of 26 athletes were honored with the Arjuna Award for their exceptional contributions to Indian sports in 2023. President Droupadi Murmu personally presented the awards to the recipients, with a notable inclusion being herself, having earned the Arjuna Award.
Full List of Arjuna Award Winners 2023
Aditi Gopichand Swami – Archery
Ojas Pravin Deotale – Archery
Sreeshankar Murali – Athletics
Parul Chaudhary – Athletics
Mohameed Hussamuddin – Boxing
R Vaishali – Chess
Mohammed Shami – Cricket
Anush Agarwalla – Equestrian
Divyakriti Singh – Equestrian Dressage
Diksha Dagar – Golf
Krishan Bahadur Pathak – Hockey
Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu – Hockey
Pawan Kumar – Kabaddi
Ritu Negi – Kabaddi
Nasreen – Kho-Kho
Pinki – Lawn Bowls
Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar – Shooting
Esha Singh – Shooting
Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu – Squash
Ayhika Mukherjee – Table Tennis
Sunil Kumar – Wrestling
Antim Panghal – Wrestling
Naorem Roshibina Devi – Wushu
Sheetal Devi – Para Archery
Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy – Blind Cricket
Prachi Yadav – Para Canoeing