NEW DELHI, SEPT 1: Every year, various men and women of sport in the country are honoured. Some for current achievements, some for past glories unrecognised till now by officialdom and a few, for reasons known only to the boffins of the sporting world.This year too a motley crew of 33 gathered on Wednesday to receive the coveted Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, 29 Arjuna and three Dronacharya awards from President KR Narayanan at the historic Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapathi Bhavan.The President also presented the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy to Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsrar. The University was bagging the award for a record 14th time.Former thrower and current national coach Bahadur Singh, Hargobind Sandhu and boxing coach GS Sandhu received the Dronacharya Awards.The parade on Raisina Hill was undoubtedly led by cricketer Rahul Dravid, along with World Cup teammate Nayan Mongia, footballer Baichung Bhutia, middle-distance runner Jyotirmoyee Sikdar (who was receiving the Khel Ratna, four years after getting the Arjuna Award, for her double gold medal haul in the Bangkok Asiad) and boxer Dingko Singh. Dravid, the highest run getter in the World Cup in England, ironically was flying in from Colombo after a very mediocre series in the Aiwa Cup. He described the award as a great homour. ``I am proud to get it and it will further motivate me to give my best for the country in future,'' he said.Wicket-keeper Mongia said that receiving the award was a lifetime achievement. Mongia, who has been out of the team with a hand injury, said it was much better and should be alright in two weeks.Despite the presence of various stars, the cheers went to former hockey player Chanchal, the widow of former India hockey captain Surjit Singh. He was being given the award 16 years after his death in a car accident.
