Energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is made proud by its sports stars, yet again. This time, three ONGCians were conferred with Arjuna Awards 2019.
The ONGCians who have been honored with this year’s Awards are:
- Mr B. Sai Praneeth - Badminton
- Mr Harmeet Desai - Table Tennis
- Ms Swapna Burman - Athletics
The Arjuna awards are given by the ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to sportspersons, for their outstanding achievement in the field of sports.
Mr B Sai Praneeth joined ONGC on 29 October, 2010. After joining ONGC, he went on to become the National Singles champion in 2014.
He won his first major international title – the Canada Open Grand Prix – in 2016. After that he won the Singapore Open Super Series Title in 2017 and became the only Indian to win a super series singles title after Kindambi Srikant.
Sai Praneeth Bhamidipati is also the first Indian male shuttler in 36 years to win a bronze medal in the BWF World Championships in 2019, after Prakash Padukone in 1983.
Mr Harmeet Desai joined ONGC in 9 December 2014. He won the Gold in team event and Bronze Medal in Doubles event in Commonwealth games 2018, held at Gold Coast Australia.
In 2019 he became Commonwealth Champion at Commonwealth Championship held at Cuttack.
Ms Swapna Burman has been in scholarship in ONGC for the last 4 years. She secured a gold medal in Asian Athletics Championships in 2017. But the most prominent performance came in Asian Games 2019, held at Jakarta, where she bagged the first ever Gold medal in Heptathlon.
Swapna Burman on her way to Gold Medal in Asian Games at Jakarta
She has been one of the most prominent athletes in the country. She is the current National Champion and National record holder.
