NEW DELHI: Indian women cricket team's Deepti Sharma, who received the Arjuna Award on Saturday, said it was her dream to get her name added in the list of the recipients of this prestigious award.
"I have worked hard from the very beginning and my family has also supported me throughout. I was waiting for this day and today I received it. It is a very proud moment for me." Sharma told ANI on Saturday.
"After this, the player's responsibility increases to do even better for the country. It was a dream of mine to get my name added in the list of the recipient of this award," she added.
Amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday virtually conferred the National Sports and Adventure Award 2020. A record 74 athletes of the country were honoured on hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand's 115th birth anniversary.
Kovind presented Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
Arjuna Award is an honour bestowed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognise the achievement of athletes. The prize money for Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna Award has been increased to Rs 15 lakhs and Rs 25 lakhs, respectively.
Deepti Sharma has so far played 54 ODIs and 48 T20Is. In ODIs, she has taken 64 wickets and has managed to score 1,417 runs at an average of 38.29.
In the shortest format, Deepti has taken 53 wickets and has registered 423 runs at an average of 18.39.