Indian Athletes Kumkum Mohod and Sujeet Kalkal Honored with Prestigious Awards

Celebrating Excellence in Indian Sports

The Indian Olympic Association has recognized archer Kumkum Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal as the first recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and the Raja Randhir Singh Award, respectively, for their exceptional performances at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

These awards were established by the IOA to honor the top male and female athletes of the Games, while also paying tribute to the legacies of two prominent figures in Indian sports who passed away earlier this year.

Seventeen-year-old Mohod, who made her debut at the Asian Games, secured three medals, including two golds, and played a crucial role in breaking South Korea’s long-standing supremacy in women’s recurve archery.

PT Usha, the president of the IOA, praised Mohod’s accomplishments, stating, “It is only fitting that Kumkum is the inaugural recipient of the Jaspal Rana Award, as Jaspal himself emerged as a young talent at the 1994 Asian Games. Her ability to perform under pressure and excel when challenged bodes well for the future of Indian Archery.

“Indian archers have been striving for success for over a decade, and I am confident that Kumkum’s performance, along with her recurve teammates, has broken barriers for Indian archery.

“We came close to winning our first Olympic medal in this sport at the Paris Olympics, and I believe we will achieve that milestone at the Los Angeles Olympics.”

Kalkal was honored with the Raja Randhir Singh Award after clinching gold in the men’s 65kg freestyle wrestling category.

Usha commended Kalkal’s performance, saying, “Wrestling is a sport that India holds dear, and Sujeet’s achievements will be remembered for years. While the gold medal is a significant accomplishment, his relentless spirit and determination to avoid settling for silver have endeared him to all Indians.

“Securing gold in high-stakes competitions is challenging, but the effort put forth when facing adversity is equally commendable. I wish Sujeet continued success and will be cheering for him to win India’s first wrestling gold at the Olympic Games in two years.”

The IOA plans to honor both Mohod and Kalkal at an upcoming ceremony.

Mohod, alongside teammates Ankita Bhakat and Kirti, won the women’s recurve team gold, ending South Korea’s streak of seven consecutive Asian Games titles dating back to the 1998 Bangkok Games.

She followed this with an individual gold, marking the first time South Korean women did not secure a recurve gold at the Asian Games.

Her individual victory also earned India a quota spot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Kalkal delivered one of the most thrilling performances of the Games, defeating reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in the semifinals and then executing a remarkable comeback in the gold-medal match against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev.

Despite trailing 2-9 with time running out, he fought back to win 10-9.

Kalkal continued India’s strong legacy in the 65kg category, following in the footsteps of Olympic medallists Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia, who won gold in the same weight class at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, respectively.

India concluded the Asian Games with a commendable fourth place in the medal tally, securing 21 gold, 27 silver, and 37 bronze medals.