Three-time Paralympic medalist Devendra Jhajharia is among other sportspersons, who have been included in the selection panel for this year’s National Sports Awards.
Jhajharia, India’s most decorated Paralympian with two golds and a silver (which he won at this year’s Tokyo Paralympics) has already won the Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna award and was conferred the Padma Shri in 2012.
Veteran boxer Savita Devi, hockey coach Baldev Singh, former rifle shooter Anjali Bhagwat, former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad are the other sportsperson included in the panel. Former India women’s cricket captain Anjum Chopra is also among the selectors, although she has been included as a journalist and commentator.
Justice (retd) Mukundakam Sharma, a former judge in the Supreme Court, has been appointed as chairperson of the panel while Department of Sports joint secretary Atul Singh has been named secretary. Journalists Vikrant Gupta and Vijay Lokapally alongwith Sandip Pradhan,DG, SAI, and Radhica Sreeman also included the selection panel.
The National Sports Awards, which includes the recently rechristened Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and the Dhyan Chand Award, are conferred by the President on the National Sports Day on August 29. However, the awards were pushed back from its traditional date this year so as to included those that have won medals at this year’s Paralympics, ended on September 5.