Harbhajan among 122 to receive Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award

Chandigarh, Jun 8 (UNI) As many as 122 outstanding sportspersons of Punjab, including Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh will be presented the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh award at a function to be held on July five.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan here today, Punjab Chief Parliamentary Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi said Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh would preside over the function and top sportspersonalities, including Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi and secretary general Randhir Singh would be invited to grace the occasion.

The award was instituted in 1978 but it was discontinued in 1996.

So far 114 outstanding sportspersons of the state have been honoured with this top state sports award. After clearing the backlog up to 2004, the strength would rise to 236.

Rana Sodhi said that the amount of cash award had been increased to Rs one lakh from Rs 20,000. A trophy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on horse back in warrior dress will be presented to the recepient of the award. The selected player will also receive a citation.

The game-wise break-up is athletics (21), wrestling (16), hockey (15), handball (10), basketball (8), cycling (8), judo (8), shooting (7), volleyball (6), weightlifting (5), boxing (4), cricket (4), gymnastics (3), badminton (2), equestrian (3), fencing (1) and table tennis (1). Out of 240 applications received, 122 were shortlisted for the award.

Long distance runner Sunita Rani (year 2000), thrower Bahadur Singh (1999), Madhuri Singh (2003), Jagdish Kumar Bishnoi (1999), walker Jasmine Kaur (2004), Sagardeep Kaur (2004) and Harjit Kaur (1998) are among the 21 players in the track and field events who will receive the award. Yuvraj Singh (2004), Harbhajan Singh (2002), Dinesh Mongia (2004) and Reetinder Singh Sodhi (2002) met the qualifying standards laid down by the Sports Department for the award.

International badminton players, Sachin Rati and Vijadeep Singh have been selected for the award.

Four Indian captain, Padmashree Pargat Singh (1977), Baljit Singh Dhillon (1997), Gagan Ajit Singh (2001) and Ramandeep Singh (1999) are among the 15 oustanding hockey players chosen for the award.

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