Sakshi Malik: Matter of pride that I will be conferred with Arjuna Award

For grappler Sakshi Malik, it is a matter of pride to have another honour on her mantelpiece- the prestigious Arjuna Award.

The wrestler already has Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Padma Shri as a part of her accolades, and with Arjuna Award, Malik would now have all the top awards, the country has in the field of sports. Malik received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2016 and was conferred with Padma Shri in the following year.

“It is a matter of pride for me that I will be getting the Arjuna Award, every athlete dreams of getting this accolade, I have received the Khel Ratna, Padma Shri but I had not gotten the Arjuna Award, only this accolade was missing from my achievements,” Malik told ANI.

There are 29 athletes who have been recommended for the Arjuna Award this year and the list includes the names of Ishant Sharma (cricket), Atanu Das (archery) and Deepak Hooda (kabaddi).

Malik is the only woman wrestler from India who has managed to win a medal for the country in the Olympics. She won the bronze medal for the country in the 2016 Olympics.

However, the grappler has said that all the promises which were made to her upon winning the medal have not been fulfilled even after four years of her achievement.

“It has been four years that I won the Olympic medal for my country, but I am not happy as all the things which were promised have not been fulfilled. The plot which was to be given to me has not been handed to me yet, there was a promise of a job in Haryana but this has not been fulfilled as well,” Malik said.

“Olympic bronze is a big medal, but I am just getting the post of Wrestling Director General at Rohtak University and I think it does not fit my achievements, so I would want the post of at least Sports Director,” she concluded.

Malik had also won the silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the bronze medal at the 2015 Asian Wrestling Championships in Doha.