It's cherry on top: Nitesh on Arjuna award, eyes Khel Ratna in future

New Delhi: In a season of discontent among some Paralympic medallists over a perceived snub in the annual national honours, para-shuttler Kumar Nitesh is grateful and elated in equal measure after being finalised for the Arjuna award, determined to work harder for a Khel Ratna in near future. The 30-year-old from Haryana lost his left leg in a train accident in 2009. But he managed to fight his circumstances to become an IIT Mandi graduate before a maiden Paralympic gold in Paris, defeating Great Britain's Daniel Bethell in a gripping men's singles SL3 badminton final in September last year.

"It is a huge achievement, like it's the second highest sports award in India. And it's a very good recognition for the achievements of an athlete," Nitesh told PTI.

The winners of Arjuna award receive Rs 15 lakh in cash prize, a citation and a statuette of Arjuna, a peerless archer in Indian mythology.

Thirty two athletes, including a record 17 para-athletes, have been finalised this year along with four for Khel Ratna -- the country's highest sporting award. President Droupadi Murmu will bestow the annual honours on January 17 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

"I'm very happy because I've been playing international badminton for the last eight-nine years and have earned multiple medals. Of course, the ultimate title was at the Paris Paralympics, and then getting nominated for the Arjuna Award is like the cherry on top," Nitesh said.

Some para-athletes like Paris gold-winning archer Harvinder Singh have expressed disappointment at not being finalised for Khel Ratna, which will be given to shooter Manu Bhaker, men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, chess world champion D Gukesh and Paralympic gold-winning high-jumper Praveen Kumar.

The disappointment stems from past precedence when Tokyo Paralympics, gold-winning shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, shooters Manish Narwal and Avani Lekhara, and javelin thrower Sumit Antil received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.

Asked if he expected a Khel Ratna too following his exploits in Paris, Nitesh said, "After the gold medallists of Tokyo 2021 were nominated for the Khel Ratna award, this year there was talk among the athletes that gold medallists would get Khel Ratna.

"But I was not going to differentiate between Arjuna and Khel Ratna. I don't have any disappointment that I was not nominated for Khel Ratna.

"For me, the Arjuna award was the first thing, and now I think I'll have my eyes on Khel Ratna. I'll work harder to earn enough laurels for the country. Then I will be nominated for Khel Ratna as well," he explained.

However, Nitesh, who won a gold, silver, and bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, was a little perplexed when he learnt that he could self-nominate for the award.

"Earlier, federations and previous Arjuna or Khel Ratna awardees nominated athletes for the awards, and athletes didn't apply themselves. In Olympic and Paralympic years, medallists were directly considered by the ministry for the Arjuna award," said the Rajasthan-born.

"This year, I didn't even know that I'd have to apply for the Arjuna or Khel Ratna awards. I thought it would be directly considered since it's the Olympic year. So, that was also new to me – that we have to apply for the awards."

Nitesh said now that he has got the recognition that he deserved for his performance, he is focussing on the new season with a renewed sense of purpose.

"I have my eyes on the Asian Championship in June in Thailand. Because I won the gold medal at the Asian Games, and then I won silver in singles. So I want to go and win gold in both of them and also in mixed doubles as well," he listed his goals.

"We probably will have the World Championship in February next year. We'll have the qualifications for that as well. But being the world number one as of now and looking at the consistency I'm playing with, it won't be a big hurdle for me to qualify for it," added the IIT Mandi graduate, who has also won two silver and a bronze at world championships in the past.

Nitesh said he took a break following the Paris Paralympics and has just started training again.

"I was on break because I had two very hectic years. I was happy with my mental strength, I could keep my calm and then go on to win (in Paris). It was a good achievement, it was a good confidence-booster for me.

"There are still a few things that I feel I need to work on. I haven't started training on court and working on my technique and my errors as of now."