President Murmu Honours Tejaswin Shankar, Vidit Gujrathi And Other Arjuna, Dronacharya Awardees At Rashtrapati Bhavan

Years of hard work, personal sacrifices and sporting milestones culminated in national recognition on Friday as President Droupadi Murmu presented the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony brought together athletes and coaches whose careers have been shaped by sustained performance and resilience.

Among the prominent awardees were Tejaswin Shankar, Vidit Gujrathi and Lalremsiami. Deaf shooter Dhanush Srikanth and para shooter Rudransh Khandelwal were also among the Arjuna awardees, while Neha Chavan and Chhote Lal Yadav received the Dronacharya Award.

The last time the country did not have a Khel Ratna awardee was in 2014. For several awardees, Friday’s honour was both a marker of what they have achieved and a reminder of bigger targets ahead.

Tejaswin's Next Target

Tejaswin Shankar wants more. The decathlete won a historic decathlon silver at the 2023 Asian Games and followed that with a second-place finish at the Asian Championships. He described the Arjuna Award as a major moment in his career, but made clear that he is still looking beyond the continental stage.

"This is definitely a capstone moment for me in my sporting career. I have been able to do well at the Asian and Commonwealth levels, but the next step for me will be to try and become a medallist at the world level. I want to go to the Olympic Games. My journey is probably only halfway there at this point. This is just the beginning."

The high jumper also won a bronze at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. He said he is in the off-season and has begun preparing for the next campaign, which starts in January, as he looks to secure the ranking points needed for the Olympics.

Family Pride For Vidit

The chess Grandmaster, Vidit Gujrathi, was among the awardees and said the moment felt special because of what it meant to those closest to him. "It's a great feeling... it feels good to see my family members happy. All the struggles of earlier years. We never thought that this will happen. Seeing them happy and proud makes me very happy," he said.

For Dhanush Srikanth, the occasion marked the culmination of a difficult journey. The deaf shooter has competed successfully in deaf and able-bodied events and also holds a Deaflympics record. His mother Asha, who accompanied him to the ceremony, has played a central role in helping him find his place in the sport.

"When he started off, it was very difficult. I used to travel along with him everywhere, communicate with the coaches and all the top people. I was like a kind of interpreter for them," she said.

Asha said the scale of the moment struck him after the ceremony ended. "The moment it finished, he was very happy. He came to me and said it was a great achievement. He got an award from the President, and there were a lot of other awardees. He was very proud to be among such top people," she said.

Hockey Team Pressure

Lalremsiami spoke of higher standards. She was among the players in India's gold-winning Asian Games side, a result that booked the team a direct berth at the Los Angeles Olympics. The achievement, she said, had brought greater responsibility for the squad. With the Asian Champions Trophy approaching, she said the challenge now is to sustain that level.

"It's always challenging because after winning the Asian Games, we have to keep working hard. We have to work extra hard because we have to maintain our own level," she said.

"Everyone is preparing really well. We are just excited for the Asian Championships and will try our best."

Shooters And Coaches

Neha Chavan urged a wider view of medals. The Dronacharya awardee addressed India's shooters missing out on gold at major multi-sport events despite strong results at World Cups and continental meets. She said silver and bronze should not be treated as failure in a sport where margins are slim and pressure is intense.

"I don't think that they falter as such. In shooting, especially in an individual sport, you just feel the heartbeat. I take medals as an opportunity. When you are in the top eight and win any colour, it is a big achievement. Of course, gold is something which we look for, but sometimes a bronze or silver is heavier than gold."

Chhote Lal Yadav, another Dronacharya awardee, has worked with the national boxing camp and was part of the support staff of M C Mary Kom. He shared the occasion with his former charge and fellow Dronacharya awardee Dharmendra Yadav, while Arjuna awardee boxer Narender Berwal was also present.

"I have received a lot of motivation from this award. I will continue to work hard," he said.

Asked whether his students Jasmine and Sakshi could carry forward Mary Kom's legacy, he stressed the scale of the six-time world champion's achievements. "Mary Kom is a legend. We can try to achieve what she has achieved, but it is not possible to win the World Championship eight times and win six gold medals," he said.

"I am trying to take my children as close to that level as possible. We will not compare ourselves with anyone because if we keep comparing, we will remain stuck there."

Para shooter Rudransh Khandelwal, a 2024 Para World Cup gold medallist, said the recognition rewarded years of hard work and renewed his motivation. "I am very thankful for all the hard work I have been doing for so many years. It has motivated me to work harder," he said.