Legendary PT Usha wins Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed with veteran athlete PT Usha for her contribution to Indian sports and for inspiring generations of players. After winning the coveted award, she said that they did not have any proper facilities when she started her career. With no facilities, she used to train alongside railway tracks and on breaches as there was no training spaces back then.
“We did not have any facilities when I started my career. I used to train alongside railway tracks and on beaches as there were no training spaces then,” said Usha after receiving the award.
She added, “Things have changed a lot since then and I am very happy that BBC has taken this initiative, it will motivate the new generation to come into sports.”
After overcoming all the challenges and difficulties in her career, Usha went on to win over 100 international medals and awards for India. She missed the Olympic medal by a whisker at the 1984 Los Angeles Games as she finished fourth in the women’s 400m hurdles and losing the bronze medal by one-hundredth of a second.
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, Guest of Honour at the memorable event, said, “Achievement must be celebrated and awards are a way to recognise this. India has not been able to build a sporting culture. We are going to change that. “We want to make India a sports powerhouse. We must build sports as a career and make sure our athletes are well taken care of. “That is why we have introduced schemes like lifetime pensions for sportspersons who have won medals for India,” Rijiju added.
PV Sindhu wins BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award
India’s champion shuttler PV Sindhu clinched the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2019. The reigning world champion also feels that more women will win medals for the country in future.
“My message to all young sportswomen is that as women, we have to believe in ourselves. I’m sure soon there will be more Indian sportswomen winning medals for the country,” the 24-year-old PV Sindhu said after winning the award on the International Women’s Day.
The Olympic silver medallist said she would like to dedicate this accolade to her supporters and fans who supported her all along. “I would like to dedicate this award to my supporters and fans that have supported me all along. Awards like BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year give us motivation and encouragement to go much further.”
She has won five world championship medals to her name and is also the first Indian singles badminton player to win an Olympic silver medal. She entered into the top 20 of the BWF World rankings in September 2012 at the age of 17 and has remained in the top 10 throughout the last four years.
Let’s take a look at the amazing facts and achievements of PV Sindhu
- P.V. Sindhu was born on July 5, 1995, to P.V. Ramana and P. Vijaya in Hyderabad. What really adds up to the fact that she has managed to pull off such great things in life at such a young age.
- P.V Sindhu’s full name is “Pursala Venkata Sindhu” and her name is so famous that any sports fanatic would be pleased to tell the positives on her. Her name speaks everything and such is the reputation and legacy, she has built so far.
- Transforming the hobby to an ultimate dream is the path to success. P.V. Sindhu started playing Badminton at the age of 8 and the rest is history. She has not only made the entire nation proud by inking her exuberance but also shed light to Indian parents to make their daughters scrutinise on this sport.
- Without ‘inspiration’, the route to success is certainly beyond the bounds of possibility. For P.V. Sindhu, the greatest ever inspiration is Pullela Gopichand who is none other than the former Badminton stalwart.
- P.V. Sindhu created history when she became the first Indian women to clinch Olympic Silver Medal at the 2016 Olympics. She defeated Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the semifinals to make way into the Olympic finals.
- In a crepuscular setting, she used to travel 27 km to spice it up the training at 4.00 am and this goes to show how dedicated she is and her quest to inflate the career on a high has landed so far so good.
- P.V. Sindhu’s father and mother both played volleyball and they are professional volleyball players. Her father P.V Ramana was awarded ‘Arjuna Award for his sheer brilliance in volleyball.
- Doing great and memorable things in life often lead to desirable outcomes. PV Sindhu was honoured with Padma Bhushan Award, the third-highest civilian award in India, in January 2020. She was felicitated with Padma Shri Award, the fourth highest civilian award in India, in March 2015. She was bestowed with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of India, on 29 August 2016. She was honoured with Arjuna Award for badminton on 24 September 2013.
- She is also the first Indian women to clinch a bronze medal in women’s singles category at the iconic World Championship in 2013. She clinched Macau Open Grand Prix Open three successive times on the trot and won an Arjuna award at the age of 18.
- Under the complete guidance of her inspiration, Pullela Gopichand even now, getting into the scheme of things was as easy as a cakewalk for her. Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy in Hyderabad saw the meteoric rise of Sindhu.,