VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam’s 25-year-old athlete, Jyothi Yarraji, has been selected for the prestigious Arjuna Award. A trailblazer in Indian athletics, Yarraji made history as the first Indian woman to qualify for the 100m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics. Despite narrowly missing the automatic qualification mark by just 0.01 seconds, she secured her place through her world ranking.
The Arjuna Award, which recognises excellence, leadership and discipline in sports, will be presented by the President of India on January 17, 2025, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Born on August 28, 1999, into a modest household, her journey began at Port High School, where her physical education teacher identified her potential. Financial constraints marked her early years, with all her cash prizes supporting her training until 2021, when she received sponsorship from the Reliance Foundation. Her career milestones include joining the Sports Authority of India hostel in 2016, training under Olympian N Ramesh, and later refining her skills with British coach James Hillier at the Reliance Athletics High-Performance Centre.
In 2022, she broke the national record for the 100m hurdles, clocking 13.23 seconds, and has since surpassed her own record multiple times. Yarraji’s achievements include a gold medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships and a silver in the 200m. She also earned bronze at the World University Games and silver at the 2022 Asian Games. Reflecting on her journey on various occasions previously, Yarraji attributed her success to parents’ sacrifices and her own perseverance. “It is not just my hard work but also my parents’ efforts and blessings that brought me here,” she said. Now pursuing a history degree at Acharya Nagarjuna University, she remains committed to breaking barriers.
CM congratulates Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardees
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu extended his congratulations to the sportspersons selected for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards, announced by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Thursday. The Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour, is conferred annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. This year’s recipients will receive the awards from the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, on January 17. He congratulated Jyothi Yarraji and Warangal-based para-athlete Jeevanji Deepthi. Taking to X, he expressed pride in Telugu athletes being recognised on prestigious platform.
Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mandepalli Ramprasad Reddy and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) chairman Animini Ravi Naidu also praised Jyothi for her award.
Yarraji’s journey and achievements have not only brought laurels to our city but also inspired countless young talents across the nation. She has set a benchmark in excellence, said Vizag MP M. Sribharat
Former CM and YSRC president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also lauded Jyothi’s accomplishments. He praised her hard work, determination, and commitment, which have led to new milestones in track and field, particularly in the 400-metre hurdles. He wished her continued success and hoped she would keep bringing glory to the State and the country.