Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra is among 6 sportspersons who will be honored with the Padma Shri award this year, while Paralympic great Devendra Jhajharia is all set to receive the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian award. .
India women’s hockey team star Vandana Katariya, Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Avani Lekhara, Sumit Antil and Pramod Bhagat are among others who will be honored with the Padma Shri award.
Former India football team captain Brahmanand Sankhwalkar will also be honored with the Padma Shri award. The 67-year-old led the Indian football team from 1983 to 1986 as a goalkeeper.
“This year the President has approved the conferment of 128 Padma Awards, which includes 2 doubles cases (in a doubles case, the award is counted as one),” the home ministry said in a statement.
“The list includes 4 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 107 Padma Shri awards. Among the awardees, 34 are women and the list also includes 10 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRIs/PIOs/OCIs and 13 posthumously.
Awardees.”
Padma Awards 2022 for Sports Stars
Notably, the likes of Neeraj Chopra, Avni Lekhara, Sumit Antil and Pramod Bhagat were also honored with the 2021 Khel Ratna Award.
Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics in track and field event. The Haryana athlete won the gold medal in the men’s javelin with a throw of 87.58m, blowing away the rest of the field in Tokyo.
Notably, Neeraj will also be awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal by President Ram Nath Kovind on the eve of Republic Day.
Avani Lekhara won a gold medal as well as a bronze medal in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics last year. Sumit Antil broke the world record in men’s javelin F64 to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics, while Pramod Bhagat won the gold medal in badminton at the Paralympics.
Complete list
Padma Bhushan
Devendra Jhajharia (para spear)
Padma Shri
Sumit Antil (para spear)
Pramod Bhagat (Para Badminton)
Neeraj Chopra (spear)
Vandana Kataria (Hockey)
Avni Lekhara (Para Shooting)
Brahmananda Sankhvalka (Football)
Faisal Ali Dari
Sankaranarayana Menon Chundayil