Randhawa wants to emulate Rathore

After winning the Arjuna Award, ace golfer Jyoti Randhawa now wants to emulate the feat of shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who was conferred the Khel Ratna on Monday.

"I am very proud to receive the Arjuna award; it's a great sporting honour," Randhawa, dressed in the ceremonial maroon blazer, said, after receiving the award at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Images from the awards ceremony

"Now I want to emulate Rathore [Khel Ratna] and Arjun Atwal by qualifying for the USPGA Tour respectively. My goal is to qualify for the USPGA tour and win one major," the 33-year-old former Asian Tour No. 1 said.

Khel Ratna winner Rathore wondered whether he could win the award a second time.

"I am thinking whether I can win it a second time doing something even better," said Rathore, who had last year won the Arjuna.

Rifle shooter Deepali Desphande said she was expecting the award this year after making her mark in international competitions in the last few years.

Deepali, who won two silver medals in the Asian Shooting Championships, has set her goals on next year's Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

"It is a very important year coming up and I am focusing on winning medals in both the Games," she said.

Ace forward Deepak Thakur was thrilled that he got the award on a day that coincides with hockey legend Dhyan Chand's birthday.

"I am doubly thrilled to receive the award today as it happens to be the great Dhyan Chand's birthday," he said.

The Patiala player also said the team would try to put behind the recent disappointments and get back to its winning ways soon.

Heptathlete J J Sobha remained modest in her ambitions and is looking forward to doing well in Commonwealth Games.

"I feel very proud to receive the honour and now my next target is the Commonwealth Games," said the 27-year-old from Chilkguda in Secunderabad who won the hearts of millions by braving pain to finish her event at the Athens Olympics.

After receiving the honour on behalf of daughter Sania, Naseema Mirza said: "I am proud to receive the honour but it would have been entirely different if my daughter was here to collect the award herself."

Tennis ace Saina is away in New York to participate in the US Open.