Indian archer Jyothi recommended for Khel Ratna award
(Sourced from PTI)
Three-time World Cup silver medalist Jyothi Surekha Vennam has been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, the country's highest sporting honor, by the Archery Association of India (AAI). The AAI also recommended legendary coach and Olympian Limba Ram and renowned compound archery coach Lokesh Chand Pal for Dronacharya (Lifetime) Award, and Asian Games team silver medalist Muskan Kirar for the Arjuna Award.
"Last year, the recurve archers got the National Awards so this time we have picked from the compound section," an AAI official said. Jyothi had won an individual World Championship bronze medal in Den Bosch, in 2019, which was her second medal at the World Championships. She had won a team silver in Mexico in 2017, following which she was awarded the Arjuna Award.
Overall, she has two World Cup silver and four bronze medals. She was also a silver medalist in the season-ending World Cup Final in 2018 in the mixed pair event with Abhishek Verma. Jyothi is also a two-time Asian Games medalist— a team bronze in 2014 and silver in 2018 with Muskan. Notably, Lokesh had brought a 13-year-old Abhishek to archery.
Under the guidance of Lokesh, Abhishek became the world champion in 2015 -- the first Indian to do so in the compound section. Abhishek achieved the feat again, winning the World Cup Stage 3 gold medal in Paris on Saturday.
The 49-year-old Limba has been battling a neurological disease in recent years. He had a successful stint as India's chief coach since 2009 and under him, India won several medals, including three gold medals at the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games. He had won several international medals during his decorated career and was conferred with the Arjuna Award (1991) and Padma Shri award (2012)
Under Limba, India occupied the world number one ranking in the men's recurve section, while ace archer Deepika Kumari also rose to the top spot for the first time in her career ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.
