The sporting lovers and fans are upbeat in Himalayan region after three sporting heroes -Nishad Kumar from Una, Varun Kumar from Dalhousie, Lovelina Borgohain from Assam -were awarded the top Khel Ratna today by the President of India in New Delhi.
India’s top sporting award- Major Dhayan Chand Khel Ratna was given to Nishad Kumar from Una, Varun Kumar from Dalhousie, Lovlelina Borgohain from Assam- three Himalayan sporting icons would give a new push to promotion of sports and adventure among the youth in the region.
It was for the first time that the government awarded all the top sports awards- Major Dhayan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award (both for sports stars), Dronacharya award for coaches and Tenzing Norgey Adventure sports awards- for all the categories Paraolympics and Olympics and Adventure sports - together in India that would go a long way in creating synergies among the sportspersons that are essentials for promoting a sporting culture among the youth in the country, say the sports promoters.
President of India Dr Ram Nath Kovind gave away all the sporting awards-21 in different categories to all the leading sportspersons including coaches and adventure sportspersons in the country in Delhi on November 14.
In Himachal, the sports like boxing, archery, athletics, shooting, hockey, cricket, cycling, football, volleyball, kabaddi and indoor sports and adventure sports like skiing and river rafting have immense potential. But due to lack of infrastructure the budding sportspersons feel the pinch, and lag behind in national and international events, say the sports persons.
The younger generation gravitates to sports by driving inspiration from the sporting heroes and icons and help in promoting sports culture in the country, "We are bringing all sporting icons, sport stars and sports promoters on a single platform to create synergies for promotion of sports in India, says Anurag Singh Thakur, Union sports and youth affairs and Information and Public Relations, who is a BJP MP, Hamirpur in HImachal Pradesh. .
Varun Kumar from Dalhousie was the part of the Indian Hockey squad to Tokyo Olympics- 20 which won the bronze after decades. Nishad Kumar, who won silver medal in high jump in Tokyo Paralympics comes from Una.
The boxer Loveliana, an ace boxer who won the bronze in Tokyo Olympics comes from Golaghat Assam. Boxing is popular among the youth in Himachal and other states and it will give a fillip to the youth in the region, says Surender Shandil, a boxing promoter from Shimla.
In September, Prime Minister Narender Modi had renamed Rajiv Ghandhi Khel Ratna award as Major Dhayan Chand Khel Ratna, after the hokey wizard Major Dhayan Chand, who had created a storm in the Olympics world winning three consecutive gold medals in 1928, 1932, 1936 summer Olympics. The renaming had created a big spar among the BJP and Congress rank and file, but the BJP led government never gave in.
It is for the first time that India won 19 medals in Paralympics-20 and eight medals in Tokyo Olympics- 20 held this year.
(Kuldeep Chauhan is Editor and administrator, HimbuMail, voice of Himalayan People)
