Tejaswin, Vidit, Lalremsiami, Dhanush among athletes honoured with Arjuna Awards

Decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, hockey player Lalremsiami and deaf shooter Dhanush Srikanth received the Arjuna Award from President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday. Para shooter Rudransh Khandelwal was also among the recipients, while shooting coach Neha Chavan and boxing coach Chhote Lal Yadav received the Dronacharya Award.

The ceremony recognised athletes who have made their mark across different sporting disciplines, along with coaches who have played a role in developing Indian talent. For the awardees, the recognition was a moment to cherish, but their focus remains on the challenges ahead.advertisement❮❯ Read Full StoryTEJASWIN EYES WORLD SUCCESSTejaswin Shankar has enjoyed success at the Asian and Commonwealth levels, but he is still chasing a medal at the world level and an opportunity to compete at the Olympics.

The decathlete won silver at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou and followed it up with a bronze at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok that year. He also won silver at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi. More recently, he claimed bronze in the decathlon at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

For Tejaswin, the Arjuna Award is an important recognition, but he does not see it as the end of his journey.

"This is definitely a capstone moment for me in my sporting career. I have been able to do well at the Asian and Commonwealth levels, but the next step for me will be to try and become a medallist at the world level. I want to go to the Olympic Games. My journey is probably only halfway there at this point. This is just the beginning," he said.

Tejaswin is currently in the off-season and has started preparing for his next campaign, which begins in January. He is also working towards earning the ranking points needed for the Olympics.VIDIT CHERISHES FAMILY'S PRIDE

For Vidit Gujrathi, the happiness of receiving the Arjuna Award was matched by the sight of his family celebrating the achievement.

The chess Grandmaster said the recognition brought back memories of the difficult years and the journey that had taken him to this moment. Seeing his family members proud was what made the occasion particularly special.

"It's a great feeling... it feels good to see my family members happy. All the struggles of earlier years. We never thought that this will happen. Seeing them happy and proud makes me very happy," he said.DHANUSH'S JOURNEY OF STRUGGLE

Dhanush Srikanth's mother, Asha, has been alongside him through much of his shooting journey. She recalled how she often travelled with her son in his early years, helping him communicate with coaches and others in the sport.

Dhanush has excelled in both deaf and able-bodied shooting competitions and holds a Deaflympics record. "When he started off, it was very difficult. I used to travel along with him everywhere, communicate with the coaches and all the top people. I was like a kind of interpreter for them," Asha said.

She was with Dhanush when he received the Arjuna Award and spoke about how happy he was after the ceremony.

"The moment it finished, he was very happy. He came to me and said it was a great achievement. He got an award from the President, and there were a lot of other awardees. He was very proud to be among such top people," she added.LALREMSIAMI EYES NEXT CHALLENGE

Lalremsiami was part of the Indian women's hockey team that won gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, ending a 44-year wait for the title. The victory also secured India's direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

The forward said the team would have to work harder to maintain the standards it had set at the Asian Games. With the Asian Champions Trophy approaching, India are already focused on their next assignment.

"It's always challenging because after winning the Asian Games, we have to keep working hard. We have to work extra hard because we have to maintain our own level," she said.

"Everyone is preparing really well. We are just excited for the Asian Championships and will try our best."advertisementNEHA ON SHOOTING'S FINE MARGINSShooting coach Neha Chavan offered her assessment of India's performances at major international competitions, saying that silver and bronze medals should not automatically be treated as disappointments.

Indian shooters have regularly won medals at World Cups and continental events, but converting those performances into gold at major multi-sport competitions has not always been easy.

Neha said the pressure involved in an individual sport often comes down to very small margins.

"I don't think that they falter as such. In shooting, especially in an individual sport, you just feel the heartbeat. I take medals as an opportunity. When you are in the top eight and win any colour, it is a big achievement. Of course, gold is something which we look for, but sometimes a bronze or silver is heavier than gold," she said.CHHOTE LAL ON MARY KOM

Boxing coach Chhote Lal Yadav, who has worked with the national boxing camp, was also honoured with the Dronacharya Award. He was part of the support staff of six-time world champion M C Mary Kom and has since continued working with India's boxers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (@mansukhmandviya)

He shared the occasion with fellow Dronacharya awardee Dharmendra Singh Yadav, while Arjuna award-winning boxer Narender Berwal was also present.

Chhote Lal said the award had encouraged him to continue working with young boxers.

"I have received a lot of motivation from this award. I will continue to work hard," he said.

Asked whether his students Jasmine and Sakshi could carry forward Mary Kom's legacy, the coach said her achievements were difficult to match.

"Mary Kom is a legend. We can try to achieve what she has achieved, but it is not possible to win the World Championship eight times and win six gold medals," he said.

"I am trying to take my children as close to that level as possible. We will not compare ourselves with anyone because if we keep comparing, we will remain stuck there."RUDRANSH MOTIVATED BY HONOUR

Para shooter Rudransh Khandelwal, a 2024 Para World Cup gold medallist, was also among the Arjuna Award recipients.

He described the honour as recognition of the effort he had put into his career over the years and said it had given him further motivation to improve.

"I am very thankful for all the hard work I have been doing for so many years. It has motivated me to work harder," he said.- Ends