New Delhi: Batting great Rahul Dravid and Olympic bronze medallist M C Mary Kom were on Friday named for the prestigious Padma Bhushan Awards, the third highest civilian honour, while six other sports persons figured in the list of Padma Shri awardees.
40-year-old Dravid, one of India’s finest batsmen who scored close to 25,000 international runs before announcing his retirement early last year, was chosen for the coveted Padma Bhushan recognition, adding another feather to his already glittering cap.
Apart from Dravid and Mary Kom, six others sports persons — mountaineer Premlata Agrawal, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, Para athlete Hosanagara Nagarajegowda Girisha, London Olympic silver medallist shooter Vijay Kumar, boxer Ngangom Dingko Singh and rower Bajrang Lal Takhar were chosen for the Padma Shri Awards. Dravid is the lone cricketer in the list.
29-year-old Mary Kom had become the first Indian woman boxer to win bronze at London Olympics while competing in 51kg category. She was also crowned world champion five times.
The north-eastern boxer is also the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships.
“I am surprised that I got this award because my name was not there at all. It is a big honour for me to be considered for this award and I feel truly humbled. It is no doubt a proud moment for me,” Mary Kom said.
“Although boxing is going through difficult times, personally this has been a great achievement and I feel elated that all my efforts have got the recognition,” she added.
The government recognised the medal-winning achievements of sports persons in the 2012 London Olympics with shooter Vijay Kumar and wrestler Yogeshwar also featuring in the list of Padma Shri awardees. (PTI)
