AMN
In a moment of pride for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Para Archer Rakesh Kumar from Reasi district will receive the prestigious Arjuna Award today in New Delhi. Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reports that President Draupadi Murmu will confer the award. The award recognizes his outstanding achievements in international competitions including his historic bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, where he partnered with Sheetal Devi in the Mixed Team Compound Open Archery event. Rakesh Kumar represented India at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, held in Tokyo, Japan. He won a gold medal in the men’s compound open section of the 7th Fazza Para Archery World Ranking Tournament, which was held in Dubai in February 2021. Kumar is the highest-ranked compound archer in India with a world ranking of No. 1. He was trained at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board’s Sports Complex and he is a native of Katra, Jammu. Kumar becomes the third para-archer to receive the Arjuna Award, following Harvinder Singh in 2021 and Sheetal Devi in 2024 and notably, two of the three recipients- Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi -hail from Jammu and Kashmir.