India's fast bowler Mohammed Shami was honoured with the Arjuna Award by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu on January 9. Shami received the recognition based on the recommendation of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), acknowledging his outstanding performance in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Emerging as the standout bowler of the tournament, Shami concluded the World Cup 2023 with an impressive tally of 24 wickets from just 7 matches.
"This award is a dream, life passes and people are not able to win this award. I am happy that I have been nominated for this award," Shami had said ahead of the award ceremony.
After receiving the prestigious award, Shami posted a tweet.
The 33-year-old initially found himself excluded from the playing XI in the first four matches of the World Cup 2023. His entry into the lineup occurred following Hardik Pandya's unfortunate ankle injury against Bangladesh on October 19. Shami made an immediate impact upon his return, claiming five wickets against New Zealand. Subsequently, the pace bowler embarked on a remarkable run, concluding the tournament with 24 wickets, surpassing even the renowned Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
A total of 26 athletes were honoured with the Arjuna Award for their outstanding performances in 2023, with a notable emphasis on athletes from the Asian Games 2023. India excelled in the competition held in China, achieving a remarkable feat by securing a record total of 107 medals.
India's remarkable achievement at the 2023 Hangzhou Games surpassed their previous best medal haul of 70, attained during the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games. While the Jakarta Games were celebrated for securing 16 gold medals, the 2023 Hangzhou Games outshone it both in terms of quantity and quality. On the competition's final day, India achieved unprecedented success, garnering a staggering total of 12 medals, including six gold, four silver, and two bronze. This elevated India's overall medal count to over 100 for the first time in the history of the competition.
The Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honor in India after the Khel Ratna Award, was presented by President Murmu to 26 athletes, including Shami and long jumper M Sreeshankar, during a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on January 9.
Full List of Arjuna Award Winners 2023
| Athletes | Discipline |
| Ms Aditi Gopichand Swami | Archery |
| Shri Ojas Pravin Deotale | Archery |
| Shri Sreeshankar Murali | Athletics |
| Ms Parul Chaudhary | Athletics |
| Shri Mohameed Hussamuddin | Boxing |
| Ms R Vaishali | Chess |
| Shri Mohammed Shami | Cricket |
| Shri Anush Agarwalla | Equestrian |
| Ms Divyakriti Singh | Equestrian Dressage |
| Ms Diksha Dagar | Golf |
| Shri Krishan Bahadur Pathak | Hockey |
| Ms Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu | Hockey |
| Shri Pawan Kumar | Kabaddi |
| Ms Ritu Negi | Kabaddi |
| Ms Nasreen | Kho-Kho |
| Ms Pinki | Lawn Bowls |
| Shri Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar | Shooting |
| Ms Esha Singh | Shooting |
| Shri Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu | Squash |
| Ms Ayhika Mukherjee | Table Tennis |
| Shri Sunil Kumar | Wrestling |
| Ms Antim Panghal | Wrestling |
| Ms Naorem Roshibina Devi | Wushu |
| Ms Sheetal Devi | Para Archery |
| Shri Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy | Blind Cricket |
| Para Canoeing | Ms Prachi Yadav |
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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