Arjuna Awards 2023: Celebrating India’s Phenomenal Female Athletes
A Historic Honor at Rashtrapati Bhawan In a monumental ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, President Droupadi Murmu recognized 26 outstanding athletes, with 15 remarkable women receiving the prestigious Arjuna Award.
Noteworthy Achievements in Asian Games 2023 The recipients, predominantly from the historic Asian Games 2023, showcased India’s prowess with over 100 medals. These extraordinary women athletes embodying values like hard work and dedication.
Sheetal Devi – Inspiring Triumph Against Odds At just 16, Sheetal Devi, the world’s first armless archer, made history with two gold medals at the Asian Para Games and a silver in the open women’s compound archery event.
Aditi Gopichand Swami – Archery’s Young Sensation 17-year-old Aditi Gopichand Swami became the first-ever individual world champion at the senior level in archery, winning gold at the 2023 World Archery and Asian Games.
Esha Singh – Shooting Prodigy’s Precision Esha Singh, a 19-year-old shooting sensation, earned her Arjuna Award with clutch performances in major international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the Paris Olympics qualifier.
Antim Panghal – Rising Star in Indian Wrestling At 19, Antim Panghal secured a silver at the Asian Wrestling Championship and a historic gold at the U-20 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest.
Parul Chaudhary – Steeplechase Queen’s Dominance Parul Chaudhary’s relentless pursuit of excellence in steeplechase led to shattered national records, dominating regional competitions alongside cricket star Mohommad Shami.
R. Vaishali – Chess Prodigy’s Strategic Brilliance 22-year-old chess prodigy R. Vaishali, sister of Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, secured her place as the only female grandmaster with a gold at the Asian Individual Chess Championship.
Prachi Yadav – Historic Win in Paracanoe Prachi Yadav, an Indian para canoeist, made history by winning gold and silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games, becoming the first Indian woman to achieve this feat.
Divyakriti Singh – Equestrian Dynamo’s Gold 23-year-old equestrian dynamo Divyakriti Singh clinched a gold medal in Equestrian Dressage at the 2022 Asian Games, making her the only woman selected for the Arjuna Awards in Equestrian.
Diksha Dagar – Para-Golf’s Left-Handed Star Diksha Dagar, a 23-year-old left-handed para-golfer, established herself as a rising star, representing India at the Tokyo Olympics and aiming for qualification in the Paris Olympics.
Sushila Chanu – Legend of Indian Hockey A stalwart in Indian hockey, Sushila Chanu’s defensive prowess and unwavering commitment have been instrumental in India’s recent resurgence in the sport.
Nasreen Shaikh – Kho-Kho Powerhouse’s Golds 25-year-old Nasreen Shaikh, captain of the National Kho-Kho Team, secured golds at Asian Kho-Kho Games 2023 and South Asian Games in 2019, becoming the second-ever kho-kho player honored with an Arjuna Award.
Ritu Negi – Kabaddi Powerhouse’s Gold Kabaddi powerhouse Ritu Negi, hailing from Shillai, Himachal Pradesh, won gold at the Asian Games 2023, showcasing agility, powerful raids, and exceptional leadership.
Ayhika Mukherjee – Table Tennis Star’s Historic Bronze Hailing from West Bengal, Ayhika Mukherjee’s exceptional partnership with Sutirtha Mukherjee yielded a historic bronze at the Asian Games 2023, establishing them as a force in international doubles.
Pinki Singh – Record-Breaker in Lawn Bowls In the niche sport of Lawn Bowls, legend Pinki Singh has consistently rewritten the record books, bringing individual glory and global recognition to India.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The shethepeople
