Srikanth, Sindhu win honours at TSJA awards

BCCI national cricket selection chief M.S.K. Prasad, who presented the ‘Team of the Year’ to Hyderabad cricket team urged the youngsters to play it fair.

Tennis star Sania Mirza presenting the 'best senior female athlete' award to ace shuttler P.V. Sindhu at the Telangana Sports Journalists Association annual awards function in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Champion shuttlers Kidambi Srikanth and P.V. Sindhu were presented the ‘best senior male sportsperson’ and ‘best senior female sportsperson’ of the year at the Telangana Sports Journalists Association sports awards here on Saturday.

Indian women’s cricket captain Mithali Raj was adjudged the ‘sportsperson of the year’ received by her parents Dorai Raj and Leela Raj in her absence.

BCCI national cricket selection chief M.S.K. Prasad, who gave away the ‘Team of the Year’ to Hyderabad cricket team urged the youngsters to play it fair.

BCCI chief selector M.S.K Prasad.

 

"Play the game fairly. Even our captain Virat Kohli wants to win every match but play within the true spirit of the game. You will be remembered not just for the achievements but also for the way you conduct yourself on the field. This is the kind of rich legacy which greats like V.V.S Laxman have left behind,” Prasad said.

Gopichand urged people to recognise the efforts of coaches. “Make sport coaches and athlete-specific. Coaches are the only fraternity who are recognised by the Pay Commission. I am lucky but there are many coaches whose services should be recognised,” he said.

Cricket great V.V.S. Laxman presenting the 'best coach of the year' award to Pullela Gopichand.

 

Six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza, who gave away the award to Sindhu, said for women it had always been a different kind of a challenge to succeed in sports. “The most important aspect is the complete backing from parents. That way many of us, like Sindhu and I, are lucky,” she said.

List of winners Senior best female athlete: P.V. Sindhu Senior male athlete: Srikanth Kidambi Outstanding achievement: Aruna Reddy (gymnastics) Sportsperson of the year: Mithali Raj. Coach of the year: P. Gopichand. Team of the Year: Hyderabad cricket team. Juniors Junior female athlete: Deexitha; junior male athlete: Fidel R. Snehit (table tennis); most promising athlete: Sanjana Sirimalla (tennis).