Nair, a native of Cherukunnu in Kannur, will be honoured with the country's highest award for lifetimes achievement in sports and games.
The Union sports ministry, on Monday, nominated former India volleyball captain TP Padmanabhan Nair for the prestigious Dhyan Chand Award. One of India's most decorated sportspersons, the 80-year-old Keralite was ignored all these years.
Nair, a native of Cherukunnu in Kannur, will be honoured with the country's highest award for lifetimes achievement in sports and games. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a plaque and a scroll of honour. Nair, the only Indian volleyball player to have won two Asian Games medals, had criticised the ministry two years ago for ignoring his credentials time and again despite boasting a professional career spanning 40 years.
In 2013, Nair cried foul after he was ignored for the Arjuna Award. Nair had, in fact, accused the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) of not considering his achievements worthy enough after it did not raise the issue with the ministry.
Nair had led India to a silver-medal finish in the 1962 Jakarta Asian Games. He was also a member of the team that bagged silver in the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games. Not only this, he had captained the side to a famous win against the USSR in 1960. He also coached Maharashtra and Railways.
James, Misra too get award
Former hockey player Romeo James and former Davis Cup captain Shiv Prakash Misra were also recommended for the Dhyan Chand Award.
James was part of the Indian team which finished fifth at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Mishra, 72, was India's non-playing captain at the 2012 London Games. Misra had hit the headlines in 2013 when some of the country's leading players, led by Somdev Devvarman, had revolted against him for his amateurish way of handling the Davis Cup team.
Gracious Ashok shows the way
However, the most interesting part about this year's selection panel was the way Ashok Kumar recused himself from the chairman's post after he found out that his niece, Neha Singh, who played the hockey World Cup in 1998, has also applied for the award. Ashok, son of the legendary Major Dhyan Chand, not only saved himself from the "conflict of interest" charge, but also set an example for future selection panels. Iqbal was later appointed chairman. "The ministry asked him (Ashok) to continue as chairman of the committee but he straight away refused. His example should be followed by everyone in all sports," said a senior ministry official. Ashok's decision comes at a time when the Indian sports fraternity has been debating conflicts of interest charges levelled against former Board of Control for Cricket in India president N Srinivasan. It's a different matter that the cement baron was removed after the intervention of the Supreme Court.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}