Nov 15, 2022: Assam’s Nayanmoni Saikia will receive the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India on November 30th. Saikia, from Golaghat district, was a member of the women’s lawn bowlingteam that won the historic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham earlier this year.
In addition to Saikia, Sushila Devi Likmabam of Manipur was the only other athlete from the northeast to be selected for the award. Sushila, from Heingang in East Imphal, won silver at the Birmingham meet. It was her second medal at the quadrennial competition, having previously won silver in the Gold Coach event. Sushila was also India’s lone Judoka to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
On Monday, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2022. Every year, the award is given to recognise and reward athletic excellence.
The Arjuna Award is given for outstanding performance over the previous four years, as well as for proving qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline in sports.
The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India Draupadi Murmu at a function of Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 30.
Based on the committee’s recommendations and after due consideration, the Central Government has decided to confer the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2022 on table tennis star Achanta Sharath Kamal, Arjuna Awards to 25 sportspersons, Dronacharya Award to outstanding coaches, Lifetime Category award to three coaches and Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games to four sportspersons.
