In a stellar recognition of their contributions to Indian sports activities, former males’s hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has been conferred with the Padma Bhushan, whereas recently-retired cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin is among the many Padma Shri awardees. A complete of 4 athletes and a para-coach characteristic within the prestigious record of 139 honorees, introduced on the eve of India’s 76th Republic Day by President Droupadi Murmu.
A file picture of PR Sreejesh
Sreejesh, 36, has been a stalwart in Indian hockey, enjoying a pivotal function as a goalkeeper throughout his illustrious profession. He retired after India clinched a second successive Olympic bronze on the Paris Video games. He had additionally performed an influential function within the Tokyo 2020 bronze-winning workforce.
Sreejesh is presently serving as the pinnacle coach of the junior males’s hockey workforce, and can be related to the continuing Hockey India League.
The Padma Bhushan is India’s third-highest civilian honour, following the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan.
Cricketing nice Ravichandran Ashwin, 38, has been bestowed with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour. Ashwin introduced his retirement from worldwide cricket in the course of the 2024 Border-Gavaskar collection in Australia. With 537 wickets in 106 Check matches, he ended his profession as India’s second-highest wicket-taker within the format.
Ashwin will proceed to play in membership cricket, in addition to the Indian Premier League, the place he’ll reunite with Chennai Tremendous Kings within the 2025 season.
Different athletes honoured with Padma Shri embody legendary Indian footballer I.M. Vijayan, Paralympic gold-medalist archer Harvinder Singh, and para-athletics coach Satyapal Singh.
Satyapal has been instrumental in mentoring Khel Ratna awardee and Paris Paralympics gold-winning high-jumper Praveen Kumar, furthering India’s dominance in para-sports.
The Padma awards, celebrated for recognising distinguished contributions throughout various fields, characteristic a complete of 139 recipients this 12 months. The annual record contains seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan, and 113 Padma Shri awardees.