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52 Years After Historic First Paralympics Gold, Para-Swimmer Murlikant Petkar Receives Arjuna Award

The Sports Ministry made some more course corrections and awarded the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) to para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, India's first gold medallist in the Paralympic Games, conferring on him the prestigious award 52 years after he made history for the country in Heidelberg, Germany. A soldier with the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) of the Indian Army, when he suffered a debilitating injury that rendered him paraplegic, Petkar won the gold medal in the men's 50m freestyle swimming in the 1972 Paralympic Games at Heidelberg, Germany, becoming the first Indian to bag an individual gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympic Games.

'My Final Wish Is Fulfilled': Paralympic Legend Murlikant Petkar Elated On Getting Arjuna Award

India's first gold medallist in Paralympic Games, Murlikant Rajaram Petkar was on Thursday elated by the news that the Sports Ministry has recommended him for the Arjuna Award in the Lifetime category and said his lone remaining wish has been fulfilled. Petkar won a gold medal in men's 50m freestyle swimming in the 1972 Paralympic Games in Heidelberg, Germany, becoming the first Indian to bag an individual gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympic Games. However, his achievement went unnoticed and unrewarded for decades as para-sports did not get much recognition in those times and were not considered for the Arjuna Award, the top sports award before the Khel Ratna was introduced in 1991-92.

'My Final Wish Is Fulfilled': Paralympic Legend Murlikant Petkar Elated On Getting Arjuna Award

India's first gold medallist in Paralympic Games, Murlikant Rajaram Petkar was on Thursday elated by the news that the Sports Ministry has recommended him for the Arjuna Award in the Lifetime category and said his lone remaining wish has been fulfilled. Petkar won a gold medal in men's 50m freestyle swimming in the 1972 Paralympic Games in Heidelberg, Germany, becoming the first Indian to bag an individual gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympic Games. However, his achievement went unnoticed and unrewarded for decades as para-sports did not get much recognition in those times and were not considered for the Arjuna Award, the top sports award before the Khel Ratna was introduced in 1991-92.

52 Years After Historic First Paralympics Gold, Para-Swimmer Murlikant Petkar Receives Arjuna Award

The Sports Ministry made some more course corrections and awarded the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) to para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar, India's first gold medallist in the Paralympic Games, conferring on him the prestigious award 52 years after he made history for the country in Heidelberg, Germany. A soldier with the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) of the Indian Army, when he suffered a debilitating injury that rendered him paraplegic, Petkar won the gold medal in the men's 50m freestyle swimming in the 1972 Paralympic Games at Heidelberg, Germany, becoming the first Indian to bag an individual gold medal in the Olympics or Paralympic Games.

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Freestyle Sport News

52 Years After Historic First Paralympics Gold, Para-Swimmer Murlikant Petkar Receives Arjuna Award

'My Final Wish Is Fulfilled': Paralympic Legend Murlikant Petkar Elated On Getting Arjuna Award

'My Final Wish Is Fulfilled': Paralympic Legend Murlikant Petkar Elated On Getting Arjuna Award

52 Years After Historic First Paralympics Gold, Para-Swimmer Murlikant Petkar Receives Arjuna Award

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