PR Sreejesh and Savita Punia grab the spotlight as Hockey India announces nominations for 6th Annual Awards
Hockey India has announced the nominations for the sixth edition of the Hockey India Awards, scheduled for Sunday, March 31, in Delhi. Interestingly, an unprecedented prize pool of INR 7.56 crore has been announced for this year’s awards.
A total of 32 nominations have been divided into eight different categories, according to the press release by Hockey India. The best performers in the calendar year 2023 will be accordingly awarded for their remarkable performances on the field in the annual event.
Veteran goalkeepers PR Sreejesh and Savita Punia are front-runners in the nominations for the Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Men and Women) - INR 25 lakh each.
Additionally, the Jugraj Singh Award and Asunta Lakra Award for the Upcoming Player of the Year will be given to the best Under-21 player among men and women, respectively, for INR 10 lakh each.
Furthermore, the Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year, Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year, and Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year come with a prize of Rs. 5 lakh each.
Speaking ahead of the Hockey India Annual Awards, Hockey India President Padma Shri Dr. Dilip Kumar Tirkey expressed his excitement and stated that selecting nominees was challenging.
“As we unveil the nominations for the 6th edition of the Hockey India Annual Awards, we are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our hockey stars who have shone brightly throughout the 2023 season. Selecting the nominees proved to be a challenging task, given the outstanding performances showcased by both the men’s and women’s teams in recent times.
"We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees and look forward to the event filled with pride, camaraderie, and celebration of the sport we all hold dear,” Dilip was quoted as saying in the press release.
Moreover, Hockey India Secretary General Shri Bhola Nath Singh also emphasized the importance of the annual awards, which serve as a powerful incentive for all the remarkable performers in the sport.
“These awards serve as a testament to the dedication, talent, and passion that our athletes, coaches, umpires, and officials bring to the field day in and day out. We are immensely proud of their achievements and extend our best wishes to all the nominees.
"Moreover, I believe these awards will serve as a powerful incentive for our athletes to strive for excellence and secure further accolades in hockey for our country. We eagerly anticipate the upcoming ceremony where we will come together as a community to applaud their exceptional accomplishments and inspire future generations of hockey enthusiasts,” Bhola Nath stated.
List of nominees for the Hockey India Annual Awards 2023:
Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year (INR 5,00,000)
Mohith HS, PR Sreejesh, Savita, Krishan Bahadur Pathak
Hockey India Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year (INR 5,00,000)
Deep Grace Ekka, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Udita
Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year (INR 5,00,000)
Salima Tete, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Navneet Kaur
Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year (INR 5,00,000)
Vandana Kataria, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh
Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women – Under 21) (INR 10,00,000)
Vaishnavi Viththal Phalke, Deepika, Deepika Soreng, Sunelita Toppo
Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – Under 21) (INR 10,00,000)
Uttam Singh, Amir Ali, Vishnukant Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal
Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Women) (INR 25,00,000)
Savita, Salima Tete, Vandana Kataria, Navneet Kaur
Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Men) (INR 25,00,000)
PR Sreejesh, Abhishek, Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh