Tag Archives: Swapnil Kusale

Manu Bhaker, Gukesh among four athletes to get Khel Ratna award; record 17 para-athletes to receive Arjuna

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“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 (Friday) at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said.

Double Olympic-medallist Manu Bhaker and chess world champion D Gukesh were among four winners of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award announced by the Sports Ministry, which also named an unprecedented 17 para-athletes in the list of 32 Arjuna awardees to honour their resounding success at the Paris Paralympics.

The other two Khel Ratna winners unveiled by the ministry on Thursday for the year 2024 were men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and para-athlete Praveen Kumar.

The awards will be conferred on the athletes by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.

22-year-old Manu Bhaker became independent India’s first athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics with her bronze-winning show in the 10m air pistol individual and 10m air pistol mixed team events in August.

In the same Games, Hamranpreet led the Indian hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal.

18-year-old Gukesh , on the other hand, became the youngest ever World champion while also helping the Indian team win a historic gold in the Chess Olympiad last year.

The fourth recipient will be para high-jumper Praveen, who was crowned the T64 champion in the Paris Paralympics.

The T64 classification is for athletes who have one or both legs missing below the knee and rely on a prosthetic leg for running.

“The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025 [Friday] at 1100 hours,” the Sports Ministry said in a press release.

The Khel ratna awardees receive a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh along with a citation and a medallion. The Arjuna awardees are given Rs 15 lakh as cash reward, a statuette of Arjuna and a citation.

The athletes selected for this year’s Arjuna award include Paris Olympics bronze medal-winning lot of wrestler Aman Sehrawat, shooters Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh and the men’s hockey team players Jarmanpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Sanjay and Abhishek.

The para-athletes outnumber the able-bodied ones in the list of Arjuna winners this time due to the magnificent Paris showing in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.

The official list also includes sprinter Jyothi Yarraji, javelin thrower Annu Rani, women’s hockey team captain Salima Tete, world champion boxers Nitu Ghangas and Saweety, veteran swimmer Sajan Prakash, Olympiad gold-winning chess player Vantika Agrawal and squash star Abhay Singh.

Among the para athletes, Paris Paralympics gold-medallists Dharambir (club throw), Navdeep Singh (javelin throw) and Nitesh Kumar (para badminton) are the prominent names in the record number of Arjuna winners.

Paris Olympics bronze-winning para-archer Rakesh Kumar, para-shooters Mona Agarwal and Rubina Francis also feature in the list among others.

The ministry also cleared three coaches for Dronacharya award in the regular category, including Olympic bronze-medallist Swapnil Kusale’s coach Deepali Deshpande.

The Dronacharya award in the lifetime category will be conferred on former India football manager Armando Colaco and badminton coach S Muralidharan.

The award is given to coaches to honour their outstanding work and for enabling athletes to achieve excellence in their chosen sport in top international competitions.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIA @ PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : SHOOTING : bronze medallist shooter Swapnil Kusale receives hero’s welcome in Pune

Paris Olympics 2024 bronze medallist Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale was accorded a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Pune on Thursday.

Paris Olympics (2024) bronze medallist Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale was accorded a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in Pune on Thursday. After being paraded in an open jeep at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Mahalunge Balewadi, Kusale shared the dais with the likes of minister Chandrakant Patil, sports commissioner Dr Rajesh Deshmukh, joint secretary general and first-ever Indian jury for the Olympics Pawan Singh, Kusale’s coach Dipali Deshpande, his parents Anita and Sunil Kusale, and other dignitaries during the ceremony held at the stadium.

Kusale was felicitated in traditional style with an idol of Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, a shawl, a shreephal (coconut), and a Puneri turban. While deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also extended his congratulations to Kusale over the phone.

Expressing his gratitude, Kusale said, “I am proud that I was born in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Maharashtra. This success is not mine alone but belongs to my family, my guru, coach, all those who helped me, friends, and sponsors. I dedicate this medal to all of them.”

Minister Patil said, “After 1952, Maharashtra’s Olympic medal drought has ended in 2024 with Swapnil Kusale. It can be said that the efforts of Kusale’s parents have been honoured with this medal won by him. Guru Dipali Deshpande also played an important role in his success. Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat, Dipali Deshpande have given the right direction to Indian and Maharashtra shooting players.” Patil assured players of the state government’s support at all times.

In the year 2012, a very young Kusale entered the state Prabodhini for his training programme. Today, all these memories flashed in front of his eyes as he received such a grand welcome.

Dipali Deshpande said, “Kusale’s parents had full faith in me and Kusale justified all of our trust. We are proud of it and for the last 12 years, his parents have not called me even once. The fact that they are meeting me today directly at the programme shows the faith they have reposed in me. Today, it is a pleasure to see Kusale not only as an Olympic medal winning athlete but as a responsible citizen of India.”

Later in the evening, Kusale interacted with the media at the Pune Patrakar Sangh. “I will continue my efforts to win a gold medal in the next Olympics. Initially, I trained for six years at Sports Prabhodhini Nashik. After that, I trained further at Balewadi in Pune. The rifles used for this game are expensive and our own tools must be in the game. It is necessary to acquire new technology along with physical fitness. Various things on social media waste our time but only essential things should be used without wasting time,” Kusale said.

In the year 2012, a very young Kusale entered the state Prabodhini for his training programme. Today, all these memories flashed in front of his eyes as he received such a grand welcome.

Dipali Deshpande said, “Kusale’s parents had full faith in me and Kusale justified all of our trust. We are proud of it and for the last 12 years, his parents have not called me even once. The fact that they are meeting me today directly at the programme shows the faith they have reposed in me. Today, it is a pleasure to see Kusale not only as an Olympic medal winning athlete but as a responsible citizen of India.”

Later in the evening, Kusale interacted with the media at the Pune Patrakar Sangh. “I will continue my efforts to win a gold medal in the next Olympics. Initially, I trained for six years at Sports Prabhodhini Nashik. After that, I trained further at Balewadi in Pune. The rifles used for this game are expensive and our own tools must be in the game. It is necessary to acquire new technology along with physical fitness. Various things on social media waste our time but only essential things should be used without wasting time,” Kusale said.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)