President Kovind presents National Sports Awards to sports candidates

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday conferred the National Sports Awards on sportspersons and coaches at here on the occasion of National Sports Day.

Para-athlete Deepa Malik was conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the highest sports honour in the country.

The President also conferred Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award, and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar on several sportspersons and coaches for their contribution to the field of sports.

Footballer Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, hockey player Chinglensana Kangujam, sprinter Mohammed Anas, heptathlete Swapna Barman and shooter Anjum Moudgil were some of the sportspersons who received the Arjuna Award.

Among the coaches who received the Dronacharya Award were Ranbir Singh Khokar (kabaddi), Sanjay Bhardwaj (cricket) Mezban Patel (hockey), Sandeep Gupta (table tennis), and Vimal Kumar (badminton).