VR Raghunath and Rani to be conferred with the Arjuna Award

Delhi, 23 August, 2016: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Monday confirmed that Indian hockey players VR Raghunath and Rani will be conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award after they were recommended by a 12-member selection committee while Sylvanus Dung Dung has been nominated for the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award. The awards ceremony will be held in New Delhi on August 29th.

Dung Dung was part of the Olympic Gold Medal winning team in 1980. S Dung Dung, an unsung hero of Indian hockey, had struck the golden goal against Spain that brought home the elusive Gold Medal after a disappointing outing for the nation in the Montreal Olympics in 1976 when India had missed the podium.

The ministry has also recognized the efforts of Hockey Citizen Group for identifying and nurturing young talent in the field of hockey. The Delhi-based NGO founded by K Arumugam will be awarded the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.

Speaking about the nominations, Md. Mushtaque Ahmad, Secretary General, Hockey India said, “We are extremely delighted that the performances by hockey players, who have proved their mettle against all odds on the turf and displayed extraordinary performances in India and abroad, have been recognized and also chosen for the prestigious national awards. I congratulate both Raghunath and Rani who have done India proud by earning several accolades internationally and also played a crucial role at the recently concluded Olympic Games 2016. I also take this opportunity to congratulate Sylvanus Dung Dung, the hero of the 1980 Olympics. He is a true legend and has inspired generations of hockey players. I also extend my regards to Hockey Citizen Group and Mr. Arumugam who have relentlessly worked towards uplifting hockey in India.”

VR Raghunath made his debut in the senior men’s squad in 2005 during the bi-lateral series against Pakistan. He has since been an integral part of the national team’s defence and is counted as one of the best drag flickers in the country. He was a part of the Indian team that won the Bronze in the 2007 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Silver in 2008, Gold in the 2007 Asia Cup and Silver in 2013 where he scored six goals for India. Raghunath also was one of the key members of the squad in the 2014 Asian Games where India won the Gold medal and secured an Olympic berth. At the Rio Olympics, Raghunath played a crucial role in helping the team secure the quarterfinals berth.

Rani, on the other hand, is an inspiration to several young women hockey players in the country. She beat the odds of poverty to reach greater heights in hockey. She was only 9-years-old when she first picked up a hockey stick. The Shahabad girl holds the record for Indian hockey’s youngest international debutant, aged 14. At 15, she was the youngest player at the 2010 Women’s World Cup in Rosario, Argentina. She scored seven goals in the quadrennial showpiece to be eventually included in the International Hockey Federation’s team of the year 2010.

She was instrumental in India’s win at the 2009 Champions Challenge Tournament in Russia where she was awarded the top goal-scorer award and also won the Young Player of the Tournament Award. She was included in the FIH Women’s All Star team and All-star of Asian Hockey Federation in 2010 after playing for India in 2010 Commonwealth Games.