Padma Awards: Squash star Joshna Chinappa, Uday Vishwanath, Gaurav Khanna conferred with Padma Shri
May 09, 2024
New Delhi [India], May 9 : Indian squash player Joshna Chinappa was conferred Padma Shri in the field of sports by President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony at Rashtrpati Bhawan here on Thursday.
Joshna Chinappa is a star squash player, who won the Asian Games bronze in Hangzhou last year along with Tanvi Khanna and Anahat Singh in a team event.
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She has won five Asian Games medals, including silvers at 2014 and 2018 editions in team events. She is also a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, including a gold in the 2014 Glasgow edition in doubles event.
Uday Vishwanath Deshpande, a reputed Indian Mallakhamb coach at the international level, was also honoured with Padma Shri.
"President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri in the field of Sports to Shri Uday Vishwanath Deshpande. He has been working to transform Mallakhamb from a local tradition to a globally recognised sport. Shri Deshpande has been instrumental in starting Mallakhamb centres across the country and developing standard pedagogy and instructions for Mallakhamb," Rashtrapati Bhavan posted on X.
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The 70-year-old has worked tirelessly to popularise the game at the global level. In this traditional Indian subcontinent sport, players perform aerial and gymnastics stunts on a vertical pole.
The Indian para-badminton coach Gaurav Khanna, was also honoured with Padma Shri.
"President Droupadi Murmu presents Padma Shri in the field of Sports to Shri Gaurav Khanna. Gaurav Khanna is a para-badminton coach. He has contributed immensely to the promotion of Badminton among Divyanjan. He established a residential badminton academy dedicated to divyang athletes," Rashtrapati Bhavan posted on X.
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He has trained players like Pramod Bhagat, Abu Hubaida and Palak Kohli.
