World Para Athletics Championships: Para high-jumper Praveen Kumar said he had long been waiting to earn the Padma Awards and felt ‘truly worthy’ after being named among the recipients of the prestigious Padma Shri award.
“Thank you so much. It has been a long wait, and sabr ka fal hamesha meetha hota hai. I have been trying for this for the last two-and-a-half years, and it feels truly worthy. I have started receiving congratulatory messages, but I haven’t seen the list yet,” para-athlete Praveen Kumar told IANS after his name was included in the Padma Awards list on Sunday.
Praveen clinched the men’s high jump T64 gold at the Paris Paralympics, which marked a life-changing moment in his life. Clearing a personal-best 2.08m, he stood atop the podium with the Indian flag, adding to an impressive medal tally that includes a silver at the Tokyo Paralympics and gold at the Asian Para Games.
Praveen also won the bronze in the T64 high jump at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi last year.
The list of Padma Awards recipients was revealed on Sunday, with former India captain Rohit Sharma and Indian women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur also receiving the Padma Shri award, alongside Praveen, and India’s tennis icon Vijay Amritraj the only sportsperson in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees.
Praveen also won the bronze in the T64 high jump at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi last year.
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Rohit and Harmanpreet led the list of sportspersons honoured, recognised for their leadership and World Cup successes in men’s and women’s cricket. They were joined by hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia, along with Baldev Singh, Bhagwandas Raikwar and K Pajanivel, for their contributions to Indian sport.