New Delhi: Hockey India on Friday (August 21) congratulated the Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal for being conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award –the highest sporting honour of India by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The governing body for hockey in India also congratulated Ajit Singh for being awarded the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, Romesh Pathania for being awarded the Dronacharya Award (lifetime achievement), and Jude Felix with the Dronacharya Award as recognition for their contributions to Indian hockey over the years.
Hockey India also congratulated Deepika and Akashdeep Singh for being conferred with the Arjuna Awards for their contribution to the nation at the international stage. “It is a really proud moment for me and especially for my family as well. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is one of the most prestigious awards that a sportsperson can receive, and I owe this to my Coaches, teammates, friends and family for their constant support since the very beginning.
“It is an amazing feeling when your hard work is rewarded, and I believe this award will serve as a great motivation for me and players like me to keep striving for bigger feats and make the country proud. I also would like to congratulate all the other award winners too,” expressed 25-year-old Rani, who is currently based out of the SAI Centre in Bengaluru.
Akashdeep is excited and said, “It is one of the most pleasing moments for me in my career to have been conferred with the Arjuna Award. I would like to thank the jury, and all my Coaches, teammates, friends and family who have been a part of my hockey journey so far. I believe patience and hard-work always earn you rewards, and I am very thankful to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for recognising my hard work and I would also like to thank Hockey India for always being a pillar of support in my career.”
