Andhra Pradesh Governor Honors Jyothi Yarraji with Arjuna Award Recognition

Governor's Congratulations to Jyothi Yarraji

Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], November 14: The Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Syed Abdul Nazeer, extended his heartfelt congratulations to Indian hurdler Jyothi Yarraji for being awarded the esteemed Arjuna Award. This accolade recognizes her significant contributions to athletics and the pride she has instilled in both the state and the nation. The message was shared via a post on X by the Andhra Pradesh Lok Bhavan, highlighting the Governor's sentiments about this achievement being a moment of pride for the state.

"Governor S. Abdul Nazeer has expressed his congratulations to the talented athlete and Olympian, Ms. Jyothi Yarraji, on receiving the prestigious Arjuna Award. He emphasized that it is a proud moment for Andhra Pradesh to see one of its own honored with this national sporting recognition. Her unwavering dedication and remarkable accomplishments in athletics have brought honor to both the state and the country. He wished her ongoing success and many more accolades in her athletic journey," the post stated.

At 27 years old, Yarraji from Visakhapatnam has emerged as one of India's top track and field athletes, especially in the 100m hurdles. She made history as the first Indian woman to qualify for the 100m hurdles at the Paris 2024 Olympics, achieving this through her world ranking after narrowly missing the automatic qualification by just 0.01 seconds. Her ascent in Indian athletics gained traction in 2022 when she set a national record in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.23 seconds. She later became the first Indian woman to break the 13-second barrier, clocking 12.78 seconds at the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, where she secured a bronze medal.

Yarraji's accomplishments on the continental level include winning gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok and earning silver at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. Additionally, she claimed gold in the 60m hurdles at the 2024 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships. Continuing her impressive performance, she defended her 100m hurdles title at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea, with a championship-record time of 12.96 seconds. The Arjuna Award serves as recognition of her consistent excellence in both national and international competitions, celebrating her contributions to Indian athletics.