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It’s double celebration time for ace weightlifter & Commonwealth Games star Vikas Thakur
Three-time Commonwealth medallist Vikas Thakur’s household was already upbeat with celebrations and ceremonies leading up to his marriage on December 2; now, the 29-year-old ace weightlifter’s family has one more reason to rejoice, as Vikas has been nominated among 25 eminent sportspersons of the country who will receive the Arjuna Award, the country’s second-highest honour in sports, for the year 2022
Three-time Commonwealth medallist Vikas Thakur’s household was already upbeat with celebrations and ceremonies leading up to his marriage on December 2.
Now, the 29-year-old ace weightlifter’s family has one more reason to rejoice, as Vikas has been nominated among 25 eminent sportspersons of the country who will receive the Arjuna Award, the country’s second-highest honour in sports, for the year 2022.
Both families have already agreed to reschedule the ladies’ sangeet ceremony as it clashed with the award ceremony which will be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on November 30, where he will be accorded with the award by President Droupadi Murmu.
Thakur is the only athlete from Punjab among the recipients. Notably, it is after eight years that a weightlifter will be honoured with the award. He will receive a cash prize of ₹15 lakh, along with a bronze statue of Arjuna and a certificate.
Vikas had clinched a silver medal at CWG 2022 in Birmingham in the 96kg category. He had also bagged silver and bronze medals at CWG in 2014 and 2018, respectively.
Vikas said the news has come as a huge surprise to him and he did not expect to receive the award this year.
He said that his mother and father will join him in the reception ceremony, as they have played a crucial role in his journey. He dedicated his success to his parents and coaches. He added that after recovering from injuries, his aim is to bring gold for the country in the Asian Games 2023 which will be held in China.
Vikas had started practising weightlifting when he was nine-year-old at the Ludhiana Weightlifting Club at Guru Nanak Stadium. He is currently serving in the Indian Air Force.
The announcement has sent waves of celebration among his family members and his parents are also gleaming with pride. “It is a historic moment. My son’s achievement is being recognised after 20 years of continuous hard work, 25 international tours and 16 medals,” says Brij Thakur, Vikas’s father.
He added, “As my son wants to dedicate five or six years more to sports, the award will motivate him to work hard to achieve the Khel Ratna award someday, which is the highest sporting honour in India.”
“Vikas has spent most part of his career away from home. He is currently working as a warrant officer with the Indian Air Force and wishes to work in Punjab to spend time with his family and motivate the youth here to join sports,” he added.
