Assam boxer Lovlina Borgohain will be conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award this year.
Borgohain is among 27 Indian Sportspersons to be selected for the Arjuna Award.
23-year-old Borgohain hails from Assam's Golaghat district. The boxer in the 69 kg weight category is also the first woman from Assam to qualify for the Olympics while overall she is the second boxer after Shiva Thapa from the state to represent the country at the Olympics. She is the sixth sports person from Assam to become the recipient of the Arjuna award.
Congratulating Borgohain, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Twitter said, "Congratulations to ace boxer Lovlina Borgohain for the Arjuna Award 2020. This is a moment of pride for as well as for Assam as she is the only WC medalist women athlete from Assam and her achievements will serve as great inspiration for our youths to pursue their dreams".
While, celebrating her success, Lovlina said, "It is an honour to be recognized with the prestigious Arjuna Award. I would like to thank Olympic Gold Quest, Boxing Federation, India Sports, Sports Authority of India, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Assam, all my coaches, teammates, family and friends who have supported me along this journey.
The athletes every year are conferred by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29, the National Sports Day. However, in view of the coronavirus outbreak, this year the event will be held virtually.
Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years; Arjuna Award is given for consistently outstanding performance for four years; Dronacharya Award goes to the coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events; Dhyan Chand Award is for lifetime contribution to sports development and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development. Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy. In addition to these Sports Awards, the Ministry also recognises the spirit of adventure among the people of the country by bestowing the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
