It was an evening with a difference for some of the champion women athletes from the State who got together at the felicitation function put up by the Bharatiya Janata Party to mark the International Women’s Day at the Exhibition Grounds here on Friday.
Awardees
Some of the distinguished sports personalities who attended the function included city’s first World Cup carrom champion S. Appoorwa, double Olympian and former national 200 m athletics champion Satti Geetha, kabaddi player and Arjuna awardee Neetha Dhadwe, Sepak Tekraw international Anitha. The cynosure of all eyes was child prodigy Naina Jaiswal for her achievements at such a young age in both academics and table tennis. The function was organised at the initiative of G. Kishan Reddy, State BJP president, which was also graced by senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya.
“It is always a special feeling when you are honoured for what you have achieved in the world of sports. It was never easy for people like us who played less glamorous sports like carrom,” remarked Appoorwa.
Satti Geetha, who was born in a small town of Marteru (West Godavari) before going on to represent India in two Olympics said, “I look at these functions as not just a recognition of our achievements but also for the sacrifices we made.” Mr. Kishan Reddy said the function was organised to pay tribute to the champion women from the State who brought laurels in the world of sport and with the specific intent of seeing more and more taking up sports as a career in future.
