Shooting Community Celebrates as Deepali Deshpande Receives Dronacharya Award and Manu Bhaker is Honored with Khel Ratna
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New Delhi, Jan 2 (NationPress) The Indian shooting community was elated on Thursday as the government announced the conferral of the esteemed Dronacharya award to celebrated rifle coach Deepali Deshpande, while pistol star Manu Bhaker received a nomination for the distinguished Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for athletes.
In a promising sign for the sport's achievements in 2024, rifle shooter Swapnil Kusale and pistol star Sarabjot Singh were shortlisted for the prestigious Arjuna Award, which includes a total of 32 sportspersons up for this honor.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in a recent announcement, shared that the award recipients will be recognized on January 17, unveiling a list of 43 distinguished athletes and coaches selected for this year’s National Sports Awards.
Among those honored, four individuals, including Manu, who made history at the Paris Olympics last year by becoming the first Indian athlete to secure two medals in a single Olympic event, will receive the Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting accolade. Others receiving this honor include World Chess Champion D. Gukesh, hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, and para-athlete Praveen Kumar.
Deepali Deshpande, a former national rifle coach, is among three coaches receiving the Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches. Swapnil and Sarabjot are also among the 32 able-bodied and para-athletes who will be recognized with the esteemed Arjuna Award.
Expressing the joy of the shooting community, Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, President of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI), stated, “Never before have so many from the shooting family been honored with the highest sporting awards in the land. It reflects the world-class standards achieved by Indian shooting as a whole. On behalf of the entire community, I extend my best wishes to all the awardees and their families. The New Year couldn't have commenced on a happier note for us.”
K. Sultan Singh, Secretary General of the NRAI, also praised the awardees, stating, “All four recipients from our sport have consistently excelled on the global stage, either through their performances or those of their athletes. They have proudly represented the nation on the sport’s highest platforms and will motivate many more from the country to achieve the same in the future. No one deserves these accolades more than Deepali, Manu, Swapnil, and Sarabjot, and we wish them all the very best ahead. I am confident this will propel them to even greater heights.”
Shooting also claimed the second-highest number of awards among able-bodied sports, following hockey, which garnered a total of seven awards across various categories.
