Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane Receive Arjuna Award

Vijay Goel, a minister of sports in India, today conferred Arjuna Awards to cricketers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane in a function held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

Rohit Sharma was conferred Arjuna Award for the year 2015 and Ajinkya Rahane for the year 2016. Sharma and Rahane could not earlier receive the Arjuna Awards from the President of India, as they were participating in international tournaments.

[ Should India Send Athletes to Olympic Games? ]

Goel said that while there is no doubt that cricket is among the most popular games in India, the current government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to promote indigenous and other sports as well.

The Arjuna Awards, instituted in 1961, are given to sports persons for consistently outstanding performance for four years preceding the year of award and who have also shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. The awardees are given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and award money of Rs. 5 lakh.

Photo courtesy: Press Information Bureau