CHENNAI: An unprecedented 11 recommendations were made for the Khel Ratna Award on Wednesday. The selection committee also recommended 35 athletes for the Arjuna honour on the same day. The national sports awards also include Dronacharya Award and Dhyanchand Award among others.
These awards will be given during a function at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi on November 1. Out of those recommended for various sporting honours, 10 are from public sector petroleum companies. The sporting activities of public sector companies come under the All India Public Sector Sports Promotion Board (AIPSSPB).
Among ten recommended athletes are Arpinder Singh (ONGC, athletics), Ankita Raina (ONGC, tennis), Gurjant Singh (ONGC, hockey), Sumit (ONGC, hockey), Mandeep Singh (ONGC, hockey), Dipreet Singh (IOC, hockey), Simranjeet Singh (IOC, hockey) and Hardik Singh (IOC, hockey).
All of them were recommended for Arjuna. Besides, hockey coach Sandeep Sangwan of ONGC and chess coach Abhijit Kunte of IOC were named for Dronacharya and Dhyanchand Awards respectively.
The AIPSSPB was established in 1987. It is the apex body for sporting activities among public sector undertakings. Several public sector undertakings (including banks) namely ONGC, Indian Oil Corporation, Airports Authority of India, Canara Bank, Reserve Bank, etc. are members of the AIPSSPB.
"The hard work of All India Public Sector Sports Promotion Board has been rewarded by these ten recommended awards from ONGC and IOC. At AIPSSPB, we are committed to promote sports as a key tool to leverage the energy of our youth for building a self-reliant nation," said an elated Subhash Kumar, vice-president of AIPSSPB.