Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Pramod Bhagat feels govt appreciation will motivate young athletes

Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist shuttler Pramod Bhagat who was conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian award said the appreciation by the government will go towards further motivating young athletes.

The ace athlete was also conferred with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in October 2021 and now Bhagat has become the first para-badminton athlete to receive the prestigious Padma Shri Award.

"I'm extremely happy to be honoured with the biggest civilian award, Padma Shri. India had won 19 medals including 5 gold medals in the Paralympics. The government has appreciated our achievements, this will motivate the young athletes in India," Pramod Bhagat told ANI after receiving the Padma Shri award.

Pramod Bhagat received the prestigious award from President Ram Nath Kovind at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in a ceremony on Monday.