Kumkum Mohod and Sujeet Kalkal Named First Winners of IOA Awards
· Sports · Indian Express, India Today, Sportstar
Archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal were named the inaugural recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and Raja Randhir Singh Award respectively by the Indian Olympic Association. The awards were instituted to honour the best female and male sportspersons of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and commemorate two Indian sports stalwarts who died earlier in 2026. Kumkum, 17, won two gold and one bronze in archery, ending South Korea's dominance in women's recurve events and securing an Olympic quota for 2028. Sujeet, 23, won gold in men's 65kg freestyle wrestling after a dramatic comeback against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev. India finished fourth in the Asian Games medal tally with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze. The IOA will felicitate both athletes at a ceremony in the coming days.
Why it matters
The recognition highlights India's rising success in individual Olympic sports and motivates young athletes in archery and wrestling. It also preserves the legacies of Jaspal Rana and Raja Randhir Singh for future generations.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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