Padma Awards

Picture Credit: Twitter/@rashtrapatibhvn

With the Padma Awards 2020 being conferred today, it is not to be forgotten that the list of awardees were announced on January 25, 2020 itself and only the formal ceremony happened at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on November 8, 2021. For those who did not follow the announcement last year, the stand-out sportsperson awardee was none other than the ace pugilist and multiple-time world champion MC Mary Kom.

I get inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar: Mary Kom

Mary Kom was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, the second-highest civilian award of India. She has brought many laurels to the nation becoming the first Indian boxer to clinch eight medals. She was given the moniker of "Magnificent Mary" by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

"It is a dream to win the Bharat Ratna. With this award (Padma Vibhushan) I will now be inspired to do even better with the thought that I can win the Bharat Ratna," Mary Kom had said after being named in the list of Padma Bhusan.

"Sachin Tendulkar is the only sportsperson to have won it and I hope to become the second one and the first woman. I want to emulate Tendulkar and I get inspiration from him," she added.

While Mary Kom was conferred with Padma Vibhusan, there was also a solitary winner of Padma Bhushan and it happens to be PV Sindhu. To add to her already illustrious list of achievements, she won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games held earlier this year to become the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals.

Along with that, as many as six Padma Shri awardees were named and they are former India cricketer Zaheer Khan, former India women's footballer Oinam Bembem Devi, former India hockey player M.P. Ganesh, shooter Jitu Rai, archer Tarundeep Rai and captain of the women's hockey team Rani Rampal.

Complete list of sportspersons to receive Padma Awards 2020:

Padma Vibhushan

1. MC Mary Kom (Boxing)

Padma Bhushan

1. PV Sindhu (Badminton)

Padma Shri

1. Zaheer Khan (Cricket)

2. Oinam Bembem Devi (Football)

3. M. P. Ganesh (Field Hockey)

4. Jitu Rai (Shooting)

5. Tarundeep Rai (Archery)

6. Rani Rampal (Hockey)