Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs (MYAS) Kiren Rijiju conferred ace wrestler Bajrang Punia with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award at the headquarters of Sports Authority of India in New Delhi on Thursday.
Notably, the 25-year-old had failed to collect the award on National Sports Day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan from President Ram Nath Kovind earlier this year.
Apart from Punia, sprinter Muhammad Anas and shotputter Tejinderpal Singh Toor were handed Arjuna Awards while Mohinder Singh Dhillon received the Dronacharya Award.
After the felicitation ceremony, MYAS took to Twitter to write: “Minister YAS Shri Kiren Rijiju conferred Sports Awards to selected players today at New Delhi, Khel Ratna to Bajrang Punia and Arjuna Awards to Muhammad Anas and Tajinderpal Singh Toor. Coach Mohinder Singh Dhillon received Dhronacharya Award. Many congratulations to all!”
Minister YAS Shri @KirenRijiju conferred Sports Awards to selected players today at New Delhi, #KhelRatna to @BajrangPunia & #ArjunaAwards to @muhammedanasyah & #TajinderpalSinghToor. Coach #MohinderSinghDhillon received Dhronacharya Award.
Many congratulations to all! 🇮🇳👏👏 pic.twitter.com/O80CFNpcdR
— Dept of Sports MYAS (@IndiaSports) November 28, 2019
Meanwhile, Rijiju tweeted, ” It is a matter of great pride to confer the National Sports Awards to three top sportspersons: Bajrang Punia – Khel Ratna, Muhammad Anas and Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Arjuna Awards and Dhronacharya Award to Coach Mohinder Singh Dhillon.”
It is a matter of great pride to confer the National Sports Awards to three top sportspersons: @BajrangPunia – Khel Ratna, Md. Anas and Tajinderpal Singh Toor – Arjuna Awards and Dhronacharya Award to Coach Mohinder Singh Dhillon. pic.twitter.com/0GRXZ2vWnB
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) November 28, 2019