Anirban Lahiri receives Arjuna Award

Report by Anand Datla

August 31, 2014: Anirban Lahiri collected his Arjuna Award from President Pranab Mukherjee in a glittering function at the Rashtrapathi Bhawan on Friday last week. Lahiri along Heena Sidhu, the shooter were among the star attractions in a function that was marred by the controversy surrounding the selection of athletes. Boxer Manoj Kumar had moved the Delhi High Court against the dozen member selection committee, lead by Kapil Dev for overlooking him for the award and giving it to Jai Bhagwan. (Latest Golf News)

The selection committee mandated to nominate sports persons for the nation’s sporting honours this year nominated Anirban Lahiri to receive the Arjuna Award. Lahiri is among a group of 15 athletes nominated to the prestigious award, which is handed out by the President of India to reward the most accomplished Indian athletes each year.

“It means a lot to me. I missed a tournament in Italy to be here. It will surely give me a boost to perform at the international stage. I did read a bit about the controversy regarding the awards and I feel only the deserving should be picked,” Lahiri told the press. The golfer will be back in action next week at the Omega European Masters event in Crans.

Lahiri will join Arjun Atwal (2007) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (2013) among an elite selection of athletes to have received the award. The Bangalore golfer turned professional in 2007 and has since risen to become one of the most prominent golfers on the Asian Tour. Lahiri is currently the order of merit leader on the Asian Tour, having finished third on the list last season.

The 27 year old has been a four time winner on the Asian circuit, having won the Panasonic Open India (2011), SAIL-SBI Open (2012), SAIL-SBI Open (2013), and the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters earlier this year. Lahiri has also won ten other professional tournaments in India besides also being our nation’s most consistent presence on the European Tour in recent times.

Lahiri has enjoyed a memorable season thus far – both on and off the course. The young man married his long time sweet heart Ipsa Jamwal in May this year. Famously, he had to break away from his honeymoon in Mauritius to rush his preparations for the Open Championships in July. Lahiri was also at the PGA Championships last week, but he could not make the cut at either major event.

Besides Lahiri, the other 14 recommended for the Arjuna Award were Ravichandran Ashwin (cricket), Akhilesh Varma (archery), Tintu Luka (athletics), H N Girisha (paralympics), V Diju (badminton), Geetu Ann Jose (basketball), Jai Bhagwan (boxing), Anirban Lahiri (golf), Mamta Pujari (kabaddi), Saji Thomas (rowing), Heena Sidhu (shooting), Anaka Alankamony (squash), Tom Joseph (volleyball), Renubala Chanu (weightlifting) and Sunil Rana (wrestling).

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