India’s veteran cricketer Gautam Gambhir was conferred with Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award. The government announced names of the Padma awardees 2019 on the eve of the 70th Republic Day.
Recipient announced for the Padma Bhushan(Third highest civilian award)
Bachendri Pal: She became the first Indian woman to climb the summit of Mound Everest in 1984 from South side(Nepal).
Recipient announced for the Padma Shri(Fourth highest civilian award)
Sunil Chhetri: The captain of Indian football team and is currently the second highest goal scorer amongst the active footballers. He is just behind the great Cristiano Ronaldo.
Bajrang Punia: The 24-years-old freestyle wrestler recently won silver medal in men’s 65kg wrestling at world championship in Budapest. He is currently the world number one in his category and will be a big hope for India in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Prashanti Singh: She is one amongst the famous Singh sisters from Varanasi. The former captain of Indian women’s basketball team has represented the nation in Commonwealth and Asian games.
Achanta Sharath Kamal: The veteran paddler continues to be the face of Indian table tennis from over a decade. He has continued to impress the young generation of the nation and is still India’s number one paddler at an age of 36.
Bombayla Devi: The veteran archer has continued to win number of medals for the nation at International level. She has won as many as four gold, five silver and four bronze medal in archery world cup in recurve team events. The 33-years-old from Manipur has also won gold at 2010 Asian games.
Ajay Thakur: The current captain of Indian kabaddi team has been instrumental in shaping the young talents who have emerged from Pro Kabaddi league. The Himachal Pradesh man has been an inventor of frog jump in kabaddi. Thakur is the first kabaddi player to be conferred with Padma Shri.
Dronavalli Harika: This Indian chess master has been on a promising rise. The 28-years-old from Guntur has allready won three bronze medal at women’s world chess championship.
