IOA Announces Memorial Awards For Asian Games Athletes
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha on Tuesday announced two memorial awards named after veteran sports administrator late Raja Randhir Singh and renowned pistol coach Jaspal Rana to honour the best athletes at the Asian Games.
The Raja Randhir Singh Trophy will be awarded to the best male athlete of the Asian Games, while the Jaspal Rana Trophy will go to the best female athlete.
Usha made the announcement during the launch of a book on Rana titled “Maverick Jaspal”, co-authored by senior sports journalists S Kannan and G Rajaraman.
“From this year, the IOA has decided to introduce two memorial trophies in the names of legendary Raja Randhir Singh and shooting great Jaspal Rana for the best athletes in the Asian Games,” Usha said.
“The Raja Randhir Singh Trophy will be awarded to the best male athlete of the Asian Games, while the Jaspal Rana Trophy will be awarded to the best female athlete of the Asian Games to honour their contribution to Indian sports,” she added.
Tributes To Raja Randhir Singh And Jaspal Rana
Singh served as IOA secretary general for 25 years from 1987 to 2012 and later became president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
He passed away in May this year at the age of 79 after a long association with Indian and Asian sports administration.
Rana, meanwhile, was a multiple Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist and one of India’s most respected shooting coaches. He coached double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and died in June at the age of 49.
The two memorial trophies will now recognise outstanding performances by Indian athletes at the Asian Games while keeping the legacies of two influential figures in Indian sport alive.
PT Usha Says No Accommodation Issues
Usha also said there have been no accommodation-related issues for the Indian contingent so far at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, which is hosting the Asian Games.
She said Chef de Mission Sahdev Yadav would address any problems that arise during the Games.
“They (organisers) have to give rooms because they are the organisers. From our side, we will do our best, and there is a Chef de Mission, and if there are any problems, he will solve them,” Usha said.
The IOA president is scheduled to leave for Japan on Wednesday.
Asked specifically about accommodation concerns involving the Indian cricket teams, Usha said she had not received any complaints.
“I didn’t get any complaints from there. They are all athletes, and we are Team India,” she said.
IOA Chief Urges Athletes To Stay Confident
With the Asian Games approaching, Usha said she did not want to put additional pressure on the Indian athletes.
“I don’t want to give any pressure to our athletes. I think they have all gone there with confidence. Hope that they will do their best,” she said.
Usha added that the Indian government, Sports Ministry and IOA had already provided the athletes with the support they required.
The new memorial awards will add another distinction to the Asian Games campaign, with India’s best-performing male and female athletes set to receive trophies named after two figures who made significant contributions to the country’s sporting journey.
