New Delhi, India, April 3, 2022: Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia has become the first para athlete to receive the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award.
The 40-year-old athlete received the prestigious award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in a special ceremony last month.
Jhajharia won Paralympic gold at Athens 2004 and Rio 2016 and silver at Tokyo 2020 last summer.
Jhajharia competes in F46 events in the Paralympics and was among the four Paralympic medallists to be conferred with the Padma awards this year.
Tokyo Paralympics double medallist shooter Avani Lekhara received the Padma Shri for her excellent performance last year. Lekhara won a gold medal in the 10m air rifle standing event and a bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event.
Sumit Anil and Pramod Bhagat were the other Paralympic stars to be conferred with the honour.
The fact that his award was significant for para sports was not lost on Jhajharia.
“This is the first time a para athlete has got the Padma Bhushan, and I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this. Now I will have more responsibility towards the country, to win more medals for India. To the youth, I will say work hard. One minute of work will not get you anything. I have worked hard for the past 20 years,” he told The Times of India.
The Sports Authority of India posted a list of award winners and said: “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the athletes and coaches on being conferred with the prestigious Padma Awards 2022 for Sports and applaud their immense contributions to Indian Sports over the years.”
Padma Bhushan
Devendra Jhajharia (Para-Athletics)
Padma Shri
Gurukkal Sankara Narayana Menon (Kalaripayattu)
Brahmanand S.K. Shankhwalkar (Football)
Neeraj Chopra (Athletics)
Sumit Antil (Para-Athletics)
Pramod Bhagat (Para-Badminton)
Vandana Katariya (Hockey)
Avani Lekhara (Para-Shooting)
Faisal Ali Dar (Kickboxing)