Tiruvallur (T.N), Jan 3 (NationPress) Indian para-badminton player Manisha Ramadass has been chosen to receive the esteemed Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honor in India, for her impressive bronze medal performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. The 19-year-old intends to use this recognition as a source of motivation in her quest to secure gold at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

Manisha achieved her first bronze medal in the Paralympic Games by defeating Denmark’s Cathrine Rosengren 2-0 (21-12, 21-8) in the third-place match of the Women's Singles SU5 category. This victory resulted in India celebrating a double podium finish, with her fellow competitor Thulasimathi Murugesan winning the silver medal.

Upon receiving the Arjuna Award, Manisha expressed her joy at being honored with such a significant accolade.

“I am incredibly happy to receive this award. I dedicate this honor to my parents, coaches, the central government, and the state government because without their unwavering support, I wouldn't be here. Their encouragement has been crucial throughout my journey,” she shared in an interview with IANS on Friday. “This award will inspire me to achieve even greater things in the future. My next major goal is to win the gold at the Los Angeles Paralympics, and this recognition will propel me towards that,” Manisha added.

Manisha faced a 0-2 (21-23, 17-21) defeat against the top seed Thulasimathi in the semifinal, which eliminated her from the gold medal race, leading her to compete for third place. The talented athlete triumphed over Japan’s Mamiko Toyoda 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) in the quarterfinals after finishing second in Group C. Her only loss during the group stage was against the eventual finalist Qiuxia Yang from China.

In the SU5 category, athletes have impairments affecting their upper limbs, which may involve either the playing or non-playing hand.

On Thursday, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced 32 recipients of the Arjuna Award, awarded for “outstanding performance over the previous four years while demonstrating leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.”

The Arjuna Award list features notable athletes such as hurdler Jyothi Yarraji, javelin thrower Annu Rani, and various members of the women's hockey team, including captain Salima Tete. Olympic bronze medallists in men's hockey, para-archers, and para-shuttlers, including Nitesh Kumar, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan, Manisha Ramadass, and others, were also recognized.