Differently abled champions secure top honors at Rashtrapati Bhavan.President Droupadi Murmu presented prestigious sporting honors to India’s exceptional differently-abled athletes during Friday’s grand ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Recognizing four years of consistent excellence, discipline, and leadership, the government celebrated remarkable performances across multiple sporting disciplines. Club thrower Ekta Bhyan secured top recognition for her dominant run in international competitions. Competing in the F32/51 category, she captured gold at the 2024 Kobe World Para Athletics Championships and followed that success with a silver medal in New Delhi this year. Her impressive career includes an additional bronze from Paris in 2023, along with gold and silver medals from consecutive Asian Para Games.Shooting champions earn prestigious medalsMarksman Rudransh Khandelwal received praise for his impressive recent campaigns. He claimed two silver medals at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games in both men’s 10-metre air pistol SH1 and mixed 50-metre pistol SH1 events. His winning streak continued into 2025 with three World Shooting Para Sport gold medals, securing one in Changwon and two in Al Ain. Deaf shooter Dhanush Srikanth joined the distinguished list of honorees. His precise marksmanship has brought global glory to India at major international tournaments, particularly the Summer Deaflympics and World Deaf Shooting.Championships.Celebrating broad sporting triumphs.National Sports Awards ceremonies traditionally highlight the country’s growing commitment to inclusive athletic development and widespread grassroots support. Under the strict guidance of Justice Arun Kumar Mishra’s selection committee, several other prominent figures received formal recognition. Chess grandmasters Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujarathi, alongside track competitors like Tejaswin Shankar and prominent hockey players Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal, shared the spotlight. Furthermore, veteran football coach Arumainayagam accepted lifetime honors, while the Army Paralympic Node from Pune accepted special institutional awards for fostering disabled talent on a consistent basis.
President Droupadi Murmu honours Indian para athletes with prestigious Arjuna Award 2025
