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Veteran Hockey player Savita Punia and late Bhagwandas Raikwar have been conferred with the Padma Shri in recognition of their outstanding contribution to Indian sports.
Raikwar was honoured posthumously with the Padma Shri for bringing international recognition to 'Akhada' (traditional wrestling/martial arts), the most ancient weapon-based art form of Bundelkhand. His son Rajkumar Raikwar received the award from President Droupadi Murmu at the function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday evening. Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj received the Padma Bhushan, while Vladimir Mestvirishvili was honoured with the Padma Shri posthumously, for his contribution in the field of Sports as a coach, becoming the first foreign coach to receive a Padma award. Punia in 2025 became only the second Indian goalkeeper, after PR Sreejesh, to reach 300 international caps, joining an elite club and underlining her remarkable longevity and consistency at the highest level. She also played a pivotal role in India's historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, a landmark campaign that elevated the stature of Indian women's hockey worldwide. Her experience and presence between the posts were also invaluable in qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympics for the first time in 36 years and the 2018 Hockey Women's World Cup, where India reached the Quarter-Finals. While Amritraj peaked at 18 and 23 in singles and doubles careers, respectively, winning 13 doubles and 15 singles titles throughout his journey as a tennis player, which lasted over two decades. Also, former Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has been conferred with the Padma Shri in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cricket over the past decades. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India's men's team clinched the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title in Barbados and the Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai. The Padma Awards 2026 are being conferred by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. During the second Civil Investiture Ceremony on June 23, a total of 65 Padma Awards are scheduled to be presented, including two Padma Vibhushan, seven Padma Bhushan and 56 Padma Shri awards. The first Civil Investiture Ceremony for the Padma Awards 2026 was held on May 26, during which 66 Padma Awards were conferred. (ANI)
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