Reports : Top Indian athletes to accompany President in functions
According to reports, the Rashtrapati Bhavan has requested the Sports Ministry for a provision where India’s top sportspersons would be accompanying the President during events as per their availability. The recommended names include Virat Kohli, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal, Hima Das, and more.
The move has been reportedly made with an aim to flaunt India's growing sporting prowess to the foreign dignitaries and people would soon see the top athletes of the country fulfilling their obligation by sharing space alongside the President at events like 'banquet hosted for visiting heads of nations' or 'Independence Day and Republic Day at home' and others.
As per a TOI report, the secretariat didn’t waste any time in implementing it asking the ministry to come up with a list bearing in mind "gender equality and fair representation of athletes". The list of the elite sportspersons has preferably been recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards.
The only huge concerns for the ministry was ensuring the availability of the athletes as most of them on the list are based out of Delhi and have a congested international calendar. However, chances of all of them remaining committed at the same time is less and the ministry would be hoping that a few would be available to attend functions on different occasions and dates.
The ministry’s list recommended to the secretariat has 12 men and eight women athletes, which include the likes of Virat Kohli and PV Sindhu.
NAMES OF ATHLETES RECOMMENDED TO THE SECRETARIAT: Deepika Kumari, Neeraj Chopra, Hima Das, Saina Nehwal, P V Sindhu, Pankaj Advani, Mary Kom, Virat Kohli, Jhulan Goswami, Dipa Karmakar, Devendra Jhajharia, Deepa Malik, Heena Sidhu, Jitu Rai, Gagan Narang, Manika Batra, Sania Mirza, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Mirabai Chanu.
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