[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is with pride that we are happy to know that Chekrovolu has been declared among the awardees of the Arjuna Award –the highest award for sportspersons. The honour comes with a cash award of Rs five lakhs and a citation. During her career as a sportsperson, she had consistently represented the country in the past several years winning more than 80 (eighty) medals in the regional, national and international level.She had won medals in the World Cup and Asian Grand Prix. She was also the first recipient of the Dr T. Ao Sports Awards and the Young Naga Achievers Awards 2012. She has overcome numerous challenges till date. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has said that her achievements and her career are an inspiration not only to the youth of the State but of the country as a whole.
Her selection of the award is deserved and “timely recognition” of her contributions. In fact, the Chief Minister himself wrote to the Prime Minister of India recommending her case for consideration of the awards.
In being awarded the Arjuna Award, Chekrovelu has become one of the highest recognized in Nagaland past and present. Until recently, the Arjun Awards were the highest sports awards given to sportspersons. This is only surpassed by the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Recipients of this award include legends in cricket, badminton and in other sports.
Luckily for Chekrovelu her recognition comes during this year leading to celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Nagaland’s statehood. She hails from a society that is basically male dominated and bogged down with conflict but that is no big obstacle in this era of enlightenment.
So, we do wish her all the best, more so because any iconic figure must needs to be very circumspect in all her dealings. And we are very proud of her for bringing pride and prestige to our State
In a related context, it is also an intriguing question as to why our sister Mary Kom of Manipur was not considered for the Arjuna Award which she richly deserves having won a Bronze medal during the recent Olympics in pugilism plus several other medals.
The Arjuna Award is in honour of the Hindu deity of the Mahabharat fame, namely, Lord Arjuna, who has been acclaimed as the greatest archer in Hindu mythology who excelled himself under the training and guidance of his Guru, Dronacharya
It so happened that while the five Pandava brothers had gone on a hunt, a dog of the wild started barking and suddenly it was assailed by a slew of arrows which entered his mouth but did not harm him fatally as the arrows were systematically lodged within his mouth.
Then Dronacharya asked the youth who happened to be a tribal prince, named Eklavya, as to how he developed such expertise, the young prince replied that though he had had no formal training he had cast a statue of Dronacharya himself and with that as his inspiration, he developed the skill of a true archer.
In that case, Dronacharya demanded his “Guru Dakshina” (Teacher’s Reward) which Eklavya readily conceded. The Guru then took out a knife and cut off Eklavya’s right thumb. Thus the ordained chronology of the Mahabharat came to pass but the after effects are still in everyday evidence.
Without a right thumb, the tribals of N-E region are still agitating for fulfillment of their aspirations—Is India listening?
