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PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
President Pranab Mukherjee presented the National sports awards to the country's leading athletes and coaches in the presence of a host of ministers, dignitaries and sports celebrities on Saturday.
Shooter Ronjan Sodhi was conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country's highest sporting honour, while cricketer Virat Kohli was among the Arjuna awardees.
Here are some images from the awards ceremony.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
Ronjan Sodhi (Shooting)
One of the most outstanding shooters in the country.
Achievements:
Silver medal in ISSF World Cup, 2012 (by defeating all the three London 2012 Olympic medallists).
Bronze medal (team) in Asian Shotgun Shooting Championship, 2012.
1 gold and 1 bronze (team) medal in Asian Games 2010
2 silver medals in Commonwealth Games 2010
World Cup winner in 2010 and 2011, and World record holder from 2008 to 2011. Was ranked World No. 1 in 2011. Conferred Arjuna award in 2009.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Arjuna Award
Virat Kohli (Cricket)
As on March 31, 2013, he had scored 4054 runs from 98 ODIs, inclusive of 13 centuries and 22 half centuries; 558 runs from 20 T20 Internationals inclusive of four fifties; and 1032 runs from 16 Tests inclusive of four centuries and five fifties.
As captain, he led India to victory in the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2008.
India’s most successful batsman in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, in South Africa.
Member of the Indian team that won the ICC World Cup 2011 and played a crucial role in the team’s march to victory.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
One of the country's most outstanding archers.
Silver medal (team) in World Cup Stage – I & III, 2012.
Silver medals, one each in individual and team events, in the first Asian Grand Prix, 2012
Silver medal (team) in the 46th World Archery Championship, 2011.
Gold medal (team) in fourth stage of the archery World Cup, 2011.
Bronze medal (team) in 17th Asian Archery Championship, 2011.
Silver medal (team) in the first Asian Archery Grand Prix, 2010.
Participated in the London Olympics, 2012.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Saba Anjum (Hockey)
Member of the Indian hockey team that won the silver medal in Three-Nations nine-a-side international Series, 2011.
Bronze medal in fourth Nations Tournament, 2010.
Bronze medal in first women’s Asian Champion Trophy, 2010.
Gold medal in first women’s Champions Challenge- II, 2009.
Silver medal in the seventh women Asia Cup, 2009.
Bronze medal in the four-nation tournament, 2009.
Silver medal in Commonwealth Games, 2006, Melbourne.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2012
Lt. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy secured his place in India’s maritime history by becoming the first Indian to circumnavigate the earth under sail, solo, non-stop and unassisted.
In addition to completing several challenging offshore voyages successfully, Tommy completed a 151-days non-stop circumnavigation voyage covering a distance of over 40,000 km. around the earth.
Has undertaken comprehensive grooming of the next generation of sailors in Ocean Sailing Training Voyages by sailing INSV Mhadei in 2012.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Amit Kumar Saroha (Athletics, Para Sports)
Two gold medals with National records in Para Athletics National Championship, 2013.
Gold medal in Discuss throw in the first Malaysia Open Para Athletics Championship, 2012.
Gold medal in IWAS World Games, 2011.
Three gold medals in Para Athletics National Championship, 2011.
Silver medal in Para Asian Games, 2010.
Participated in London Paralympics, 2012.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Dronacharya Award 2013
Purnima Mahato (Shooting)
Involved with training and coaching of a number of archers, both men and women, for the last 12 years.
Associated with coaching of the Indian archery team which, inter alia, won six medals in Commonwealth Games 2010 -- 2 gold (individual), 2 bronze (individual), 1 gold (team) and 1 bronze (team)
Four medals in Youth and Cadet World Championship 2011 -- 1 gold (individual), 1 silver (team boys), 1 bronze (team girls) and 1 bronze (cadet mix team) , and 1 silver (individual) in World Cup Final 2012.
Imparted coaching to prominent archers like Dola Bannerjee, Deepika Kumari, Jayanta Talukdar, Rahul Bannerjee, Pratima Boro, Atanu Das, V. Prinitha, Rimil Buruily and Chekrovolu Swuro who have all represented India in international events and won medals.
PHOTOS: India honours its sports stars
Dhyan Chand Award 2013
Mary D’Souza Sequeira (Athletics)
One of the country's outstanding athletes, actively involved in promotion of athletics in various capacities.
Represented India in the first Asian Games in New Delhi in 1951 and won a bronze medal in the 200 meters.
Represented India in the second Asian Games in Manila, Philippines, in 1954 and was a member of the women's relay team which won a gold medal in 4x400 meters with a new Asian Games record.
Represented India in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
Four-time National champion in 100m and 200m.
Created a National record in the 100 metres in the 1954 National meet at Delhi and repeated the same in the 1956 Nationals at Patiala.
Also a member of the Indian women's hockey team in various international hockey tournaments during 1953, 1956, 1962 and 1964.
Responsible for recruiting and coaching players in Indian Railways.