'Your excellence will inspire many' - Virat Kohli congratulates National Sports awardees

India’s ODI and Test skipper Virat Kohli congratulated all the awardees who were honored during National Sports Awards 2021. India’s President Ram Nath Kovind presented the players and the coaches with the Sports and Adventures Awards 2021.

Namely, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards-2021, Dronacharya Awards-2021, Arjuna Awards-2021, Dhyan Chand Awards-2021, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar-2021, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy-2021, and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards-2020 were the honors presented to the players and coaches in a function held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Saturday, November 13.

Kohli, who was conferred with the Khel Ratna Award in 2018, pointed that the excellence of these athletes will play a vital role to inspire the coming generations to follow their passion and excel in it.

Virat Kohli congratulates the awardees

Kohli took it to his official Twitter account to share a picture of the awardees.  He also wrote a fitting caption for the winners and asserted that it is a great moment of pride for all.

“A great moment of pride and congratulations to all the Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya, and Adventure award winners. Your excellence will inspire so many people to pursue their sporting passion,” Kohli’s tweet read.

A great moment of pride and congratulations to all the Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya and Adventure award winners. Your excellence will inspire so many people to pursue their sporting passion. pic.twitter.com/VybwDZy0vf

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 14, 2021

Indian women’s cricket team’s star batter Mithali Raj was among the 12 athletes to be honored with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had taken it to their official Twitter account to congratulate her. Mithali has been one of the torchbearers of women’s cricket and her tremendous contributions to the sport have inspired millions to take up cricket.

BCCI highlighted her achievements and wrote, “Leading run-getter in women’s international cricket. The first woman to score 7000 ODI runs. A proud moment for @M_Raj03 as she becomes the first woman cricketer to be conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind.”

Leading run-getter in women's international cricket 👍
First woman to score 7000 ODI runs 👏

A proud moment for @M_Raj03 as she becomes the first woman cricketer to be conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind. 🇮🇳 👏 🙌 pic.twitter.com/zyFyYiv790

— BCCI (@BCCI) November 14, 2021

The BCCI also lauded the achievements of India’s opening batter Shikhar Dhawan who was awarded the Arjuna Award for his immense contribution to the sport. “A moment to cherish for @SDhawan25 as he is conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind. 👏 👏,” the board wrote in the caption of the Tweet.