Noida district magistrate Suhas L Y recommended for Arjuna Award

Suhas secured a silver medal in the final of the men’s singles badminton SL-4 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 held on September 5 this year. He also become the first ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics

The selection committee of the National Sports Awards has recommended Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate Suhas L Yathiraj’s name for the Arjuna award, along with other Olympic and Paralympic medallists.

Noida district magistrate Suhas L Yathiraj. (HT Archive)

The Arjuna award is India’s second highest sporting award bestowed by the ministry of youth affairs and sports to sportspersons for their outstanding performance in international as well as national events.

The selection committee has also recommended javelin thrower and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra, silver medalist wrestler Ravi Dahiya and nine others for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the country’s highest sporting honour.

Suhas secured a silver medal in the final of the men’s singles badminton SL-4 event at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 held on September 5 this year. He also become the first ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics.

“I am very happy that I have been recommended for Arjuna award. I thank all the citizens for giving me so much love and affection,” said Suhas. He said he is enjoying the attention that he has been receiving after bagging the silver medal and that there is no big competition in the coming months.

Suhas outwitted Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan 21-9, 21-15 in 31 minutes in the semi-final but lost to France’s Lucas Mazur by 21-15, 17-21, 15-21 in the finals. A computer engineer, Suhas went on to become an IAS officer and has been posted as a district magistrate of Noida since last year.

According to a PTI report, cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, para table tennis player Bhavina Patel, high jumper Nishad Kumar and others have also been recommended for the Arjuna Award.