Tumultuous welcome was accorded to city archer Jyothi Surekha on her return from New Delhi after receiving the prestigious Arjuna award from President Ramnath Kovind, on Wednesday.
Hundreds of Koneru Lakshmaiah University students stood on both sides of the road at the Gannavaram airport and chanted ‘Welcome to Jyothi Surekha’ as she walked along carrying the bronze statue with city Mayor Koneru Sridhar, Narasapuram Member of Parliament Gokaraju Gangaraju, Andhra Pradesh Olympic Association Vice President K. Pattabhi Ram and others.
Ms. Surekha, who learned her rudiments from the city-based Volga Archery academy, is the first woman archer from south India to achieve this honour, and she has been part of the Indian team consistently for the past seven years. “This is a reward for my hard work and dedication. Many people helped me reach this stage and I thank every one of them,” said the 22-year-old archer to waiting mediapersons.
Later, she was felicitated at her alma mater — KLU — by the Chancellor Koneru Satyanarayana, vice-president Raja Harin and vice-chancellor LS.S. Reddy.
Mr. Satyanarayana congratulated Surekha for doing justice to academics and archery in a befitting manner by winning medals and also scoring marks. “We offered four years of free education in Computer Sciences and she completed it with distinction. The only help we did to her was to arrange for classes which she missed while playing for the country and training at Indian camps,” he pointed out.
Narasapur MP Ganga Raju recollected the help rendered by him by offering his guest house where he spruced up an archery range exclusively for her. “Andhra Cricket Association had also sent her to the U.S. for advanced training”.
He said Ms. Surekha was role model to the youngsters to excel in their chosen sports and suggested the State government to allot a house site along with a government job at the Secretariat to the talented archer. “The government should also give her land for an academy which she will set up in the future”.
Officials missing
The glaring discordant note in the reception was the missing of the district administrators and Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh officials.
Not one official from SAAP was spotted at the airport to receive the girl who won the coveted award. “It is sad that the District Collector and the SAAP officials were not there to welcome the accomplished archer. This is will send a wrong signal to the youngsters,” felt a senior coach requesting anonymity.
