UP’s Praveen to be awarded Khel Ratna

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh's two-time Paralympic medallist Praveen Kumar has been nominated for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, as announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Five more players from the state have been selected to receive the Arjuna Award, including women's javelin thrower Annu Rani, Woman Chess Grandmaster Vantika Agarwal, para sprinter Preethi Pal, men's para javelin thrower Ajeet Singh Yadav (Etawah), and visually impaired sprinter Simran Sharma. Speaking to TOI, Praveen, a Gautam Budh Nagar native, said, "I feel immensely proud. It's a momentous day for me to receive such an esteemed honour. I secured a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics in the T-64 category, but my elation was incomplete because the national anthem wasn't played. So, I learned from my mistakes and clinched a gold medal in Paris. When I heard the national anthem and saw the Indian flag being hoisted, it felt surreal." Ghaziabad's Simran Sharma, who competes in the women's 200-metre T12 category, said, "It feels extraordinary, a distinctive feeling. What we used to envision has materialised today. I placed 11th at the Tokyo Olympics and secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics. Now, I'm determined to win gold." Para javelin thrower Ajeet Singh Yadav of Etawah competes in the F-46 category was also honoured with the Laxman Award by the UP govt in 2024. Speaking to TOI, he said, "For an athlete, these accolades are priceless. Receiving an award at the start of the new year is an auspicious beginning. I couldn't secure a medal at the Tokyo Paralympics due to injuries and inexperience, but I trained rigorously and won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, I'm preparing for the World Para Athletics Championship at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi later this year." Sprinter Preethi Pal, a Meerut native, competes in the T35 disability class and secured two bronze medals at the Paris Paralympics in the 100m and 200m events. Preethi said, "I feel elated. After the Paris Paralympics, my coach and fellow athlete Simran Sharma informed me about the Arjuna Award." "I missed the podium at the Para Asian Games by microseconds, finishing fourth, but destiny had different plans. I never imagined winning two medals in the same Paralympics. The most jubilant moment was creating history as the first Indian woman to medal in the 200 metres," she added. WGM Vantika Agarwal of Noida has also been named for the Arjuna Award. She is a three-time gold medallist at the Chess Olympiad, including two golds at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in 2024. Olympian javelin thrower Annu Rani is the first Indian woman to win gold in javelin throw at the Asian Games. She was also the first Indian woman to reach the javelin throw final at the World Championships in 2019. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, she made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a medal in the event, clinching bronze.Expressing happiness, Uttar Pradesh Para Sports Association president Kavinder Chaudhary said, "This achievement is not only a testament to personal excellence but also reflects the growing influence of para sports in Uttar Pradesh. Our association is committed to providing every possible support to these athletes." He extended his gratitute to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sports minister Girish Chandra Yadav for providing numerous facilities to para players.