Cricketer R. Ashwin, former football star IM Vijayan, para archer Harvinder Singh and para athletics coach Satyapal Singh has been chosen for the Padma Shri while two-time Olympic bronze medalist PR Sreejesh has been chosen for the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-third highest civilian honour, It was announced on yesterday (25 January,2025).
Among 139 persons five were chosen for the coveted civilian awards on the eve of the 76th Republic Day. The Padma awards are given for famed services across fields. List of Seven Padma Bhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awardees will honours this year.
In the men’s hockey team, the 36-year-old Sreejesh was the inspirational goalkeeper of the men’s hockey team that won bronze in the Paris Games, which came after three years he played a stellar role in finishing India’s 41-year wait for an Olympic medal in hockey in Tokyo with a bronze. PR Sreejesh is currently head coach of the India men’s national U-21 team. Sreejesh represented India in 336 games in a long term 18 years. Along with this he is also a double gold medalist at the Asian Games.
One of the most valuable goalkeepers of his era, PR Sreejesh already has the Khel Ratna award, the highest sports prize, in his kitty (2021) besides the Padma Shri– India’s fourth-highest civilian award– which Sreejesh received in year 2017.
R. Ashwin becomes headlines this year’s among Padma Shri awardees, who retired in the midway during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia, which team India lost by 1-3.
R. Ashwin is India’s second highest Test wicket-taker in 537 Tests only behind leg-spinner Anil Kumble (619). Ashwin, who will continue to complete in domestic events Indian Premier League and others was the part of India’s One day international World cup 2011-winning side and the victorious 2013 Champions Trophy team. He was included in the ICC’s Test team of the Decade for the 2011 to 2020 period.
India’s first Paralympic gold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and former India forward IM Vijayan were also chosen for the Padma Shri along with para athletic coach Satyapal Singh, who mentored Paris Paralympics gold-winning and Khel Ratna awardee high-jumper Praveen Kumar.
