PCI prez Deepa Malik elated at historic recommendations for National awards

Deepa Malik

Elated by the record-breaking recommendations of para-athletes for this year's National Sports Awards, Deepa Malik, the president of Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), feels that her dreams are being realised and it's heartening to see para-athletes get equal respect and appreciation.

The announcement of the national sports awards was delayed in order to consider the performances of para-athletes at the Tokyo Paralympics, held from August 24 to September 5 and India had phenomenal performances at the mega-event. India's paralympians finished their campaign in Tokyo with an unprecedented 19 medals, including five gold, and signed off 24th in the overall tally - the highest ever.

All five gold-medal winning para-athletes - Pramod Bhagat (Badminton), Sumit Antil (Athletics), Avani Lekhara (Shooting), Krishna Nagar (Badminton) and Manish Narwal (Shooting) - have been recommended for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of India.

Meanwhile, eight paralympians have been recommended for 2021 Arjuna Award. "Give us an opportunity and we will show our ability. Under the leadership of PM Modi, and all the recent Sports Ministers...Paralympics has been celebrated, para-athletes have been given equal appreciation and respect and I think this is the dream which I had when I started representing India 16 years ago as a para-athlete," said an elated Deepa Malik.

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