"Getting this award is a huge achievement": Uday Vishwanath Deshpande on honoured with Padma Shri

International Mallakhamb coach Uday Vishwanath Deshpande (Photo/ANI)

Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], January 27 (ANI): International Mallakhamb coach Uday Vishwanath Deshpande expressed his delight after he was conferred with Padma Shri.

“Getting this award is a huge achievement. But this is not my achievement. So many people have been working in the field of Mallakhamba for years. Because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Mallakhamba has been included in Khelo India. National winners are getting an annual scholarship of Rs 1.2 lakhs. More than 100 Mallakhamba centres have been established with proper equipment and coaches have been appointed,” he told ANI.

The 70-year-old is an international coach of the sport who has worked tirelessly to popularize it on the global stage.

Deshpande is among the seven sportspersons who are honoured with Padma Shri.

India’s Tennis star Rohan Bopanna, squash player Joshna Chinappa, former field hockey player Harbinder Singh, para-badminton team’s head coach Gaurav Khanna, Archery coach Purnima Mahato and para swimmer Satendra Singh Lohia are the rest of the sportspersons.

Bopanna at the age of 43, secured the top spot in the ATP rankings and became the oldest World No. 1 after surpassing Rajeev Ram of the USA, who held the first place at the age of 38 in October 2022.

Joshna Chinappa won a bronze medal along with Tanvi Khanna and Anahat Singh in the Hangzhou Asian Games.

It was her fifth medal in the Asian Games, as her first medal (bronze) came in women’s singles in the 2018 Jakarta Games. Her other three medals included one bronze and two silver medals in the team events.

Harbinder Singh was a member of the gold medal team in 1966 and a silver medal winner as captain in 1970.

He also participated in international hockey tournaments, which saw India triumph in Lyon, France in 1963 and Hamburg, West Germany in 1966.In 1986. Harbinder was chosen as chief coach of the bronze medal-winning women’s team in the Asian Games. He was also a part of India’s team that won the gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Archery coach Mahato an archer turned coach was a former national champion and also served as the coach of India’s archery team. She has personally coached 2012 Summer Olympian Deepika Kumari. She was recognised for her efforts and awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2013.

The Home Ministry on Thursday announced the Padma awards which included five Padma Bhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri.

Padma Awards, the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.

The Awards are given in various disciplines and fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports and civil service. (ANI)

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