Interview Times 
Deep Grace Ekka, an Odisha hockey player and member of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic team, has been selected to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award, according to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
“May she continue to shine and bring honour to our country.” “All the best to her,” the Chief Minister tweeted.
He also congratulated Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) on being chosen to receive the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2022 for promoting sports through CSR.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards on Monday. On November 30, 2022, the awardees will be presented with their awards by the President of India at a specially organised function at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Other nominees for the Arjuna Award this year include veteran discus thrower Seema Punia, top badminton players Lakshya Sen and HS Prannoy, who played a key role in the Indian team’s maiden triumph in the Thomas Cup, boxer Amit Phangal, shooters Elavenil Valarivan and Omprakash Mitharval.
Woman chess player Bhakti Kulkarni, judo star Shushila Devi, woman kabaddi player Sakshi Kumari, Mallakhamb star Sagar Kailas Ovhalkar, wushu player Parveen and deaf badminton player Jerlin Anika J. were the others who will get the Arjuna Award for 2022.
The list includes three para-badminton stars — World Champion Manasi Joshi, Tarun Dhillon and Swapnil Sanjay Patil. Top wrestlers Anshu and Sarita too were awarded the Arjuna as was Nayan Moi Saikia, who helped India bag their maiden gold medal in lawn balls at Birmingham. Incidentally, no cricketer was nominated for Arjuna Award this year.
