New Delhi, India

Veteran pacer and India’s ODI World Cup hero Mohammed Shami will receive the Arjuna Award for 2023 after a stellar year for the nation as the Sports Ministry confirmed the list on Wednesday (Dec 20). The prestigious award comes as another feather in the hat for the Indian pacer who was the highest wicket-taker in the ODI World Cup with 24 wickets. Badminton duo, Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are also on the award list as they will receive the Khel Ratna award for their contribution to the sport in 2023. Shami will join 25 other athletes as a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna Award.

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Shami to receive Arjuna Award

After playing second fiddle to Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in the first four matches of the World Cup, Shami dazzled once given the opportunity. He was called into the side after Hardik Pandya’s injury and went on to make a good impression. Despite playing just seven matches, he produced the best return by any bowler. His 24 wickets also saw him become India’s top wicket-taker in the tournament.

Shami will be joined by the likes of Sushila Chanu (hockey) and Pawan Kumar (Kabaddi) for the prestigious award. The list also includes the likes of Ayhika Mukherjee (table tennis), Sunil Kumar (wrestling), Antim (wrestling), Naorem Roshibina Devi (wushu) and Sheetal Devi.

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Arjuna Awards for 2023

Ojas Pravin Deotale (archery), Aditi Gopichand Swami (archery), Murali Sreeshankar (athletics), Parul Chaudhary (athletics), Mohameed Hussamuddin (boxing), R Vaishali (chess), Mohammed Shami (cricket), Anush Agarwalla (equestrian), Divyakriti Singh (equestrian dressage), Diksha Dagar (golf), Krishan Bahadur Pathak (hockey), Sushila Chanu (hockey), Pawan Kumar (kabaddi), Ritu Negi (kabaddi), Nasreen (kho-kho), Pinki (lawn bowls), Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar (shooting), Esha Singh (shooting), Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (squash), Ayhika Mukherjee (table tennis), Sunil Kumar (wrestling), Antim (wrestling), Naorem Roshibina Devi (wushu), Sheetal Devi (para archery), Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy (blind cricket), Prachi Yadav (para canoeing).

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Dronacharya Award (regular category)for outstanding coaches

Lalit Kumar (wrestling), RB Ramesh (chess), Mahaveer Prasad Saini (para athletics), Shivendra Singh (hockey), Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar (mallakhamb).

Dronacharya Award (life-time category)for outstanding coaches

Jaskirat Singh Grewal (golf), Bhaskaran E (kabaddi), Jayanta Kumar Pushilal (table tennis).

Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement

Manjusha Kanwar (badminton), Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey), Kavitha Selvaraj (kabaddi).