Paralympian, mountaineer selected for highest state award

NOIDA: Two sportsmen of the district, paralympian Varun Bhati and mountaineer Arjun Vajpai have made it to the list of the prestigious Yash Bharti Samman this year.
The list for the awardees, released on Sunday evening, named 54 persons from various fields including sports, cinema, television, literature, music and social work.
22-year-old Bhati, who suffered polio on his left leg in childhood, brought laurels to the country after winning bronze medal for high jump in the 2016 Summer Paralympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
An elated Bhati said that receiving the highest award of Uttar Pradesh was a delight, since it shows that the state has recognised his talent. The award comprises Rs 11 lakh cash prize, a shawl and a certificate. A pension of Rs 50, 000 is also granted.
City mountaineer Arjun Vajpai (23), who holds a record of being the youngest and the first Indian climber to scale five mountain peaks above 8000m, is the second person from Gautam Budh Nagar to be nominated for the award. Talking to TOI, Vajpai said, “A lot of responsibility comes along with this honour. I hope I live up to their legacy.”