Odisha-born ace para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award at the National Sports Awards ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Thursday.
He received the award from President Ram Nath Kovind. The award comprises of a statuette, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. The Arjuna Award is given to a player for consistent outstanding performances for a minimum period of four years.
Bhagat had recently won two gold medals at the BWF Para-Badminton World Championships. The para-shuttler had partnered with Manoj Sarkar to clinch gold medal in men’s doubles category. Similarly, he defeated England’s Daniel Bethell 6-21,21-14,21-5 in the final of men’s singles SL 3 category to seal the top spot.
Hailing from Attabira in Bargarh district, Bhagat has brought laurels to Odisha and the nation several times.