PR Sreejesh Receives Padma Bhushan from President Murmu

PR Sreejesh, former goalkeeper and current coach of the Indian junior men's hockey team, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, making him only the second hockey player after Major Dhyan Chand to receive India's third-highest civilian honor. Sreejesh is celebrated for his pivotal role in India's Olympic bronze medal wins at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 and for winning the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award three times. His transition to coaching has been marked by leading India’s junior team to the Junior Asia Cup title. Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's top cricket spinners, was awarded the Padma Shri in recognition of his achievements, including over 500 Test wickets and contributions to World Cup-winning teams. Other sports figures, such as para-archer Harvinder Singh, footballer I. M. Vijayan, and para-athlete Satyapal Singh, were also honored with Padma Awards, underscoring a new era of recognition for Indian sports icons. Both Sreejesh and Ashwin dedicated their honors to teammates, coaches, and fans, highlighting the collective effort behind their successes.