Goa’s Margao-based chess player, Bhakti Kulkarni has been named by the sports ministry of India to be honoured with Arjuna Award, which is one of the topmost sporting honours of the country.
The player will be graced with the Arjuna Award alongside other recipients by the hands of the Indian president. The honouring ceremony i.e. the National Sports Awards 2022 function is scheduled on November 30 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
First Goan grandmaster and woman recipient of Arjuna Award
Congratulations to @rpragchess & @Bhaktichess for Arjuna Award.@DrSK_AICF @Bharatchess64 @Media_SAI @IndiaSports @FIDE_chess pic.twitter.com/WQHjaDi3qD
— All India Chess Federation (@aicfchess) November 14, 2022
The 30-year-old woman grandmaster has received global recognition for her splendid performance in the game of chess during multiple international events.
Among her noteworthy laurels, Bhakti was the highest position holder at the International Women’s Chess Tournament in the Czech Republic. In 2016, she won the Asian Chess Women’s Championship.
She also bagged a bronze medal earlier this year, at the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai. Moreover, Bhakti was also graced with the Dilip Sardesai Sports Excellence Award in 2011 from the state government.
Before this, only two Goans have been honoured with the Arjuna Award including Padma Shri Brahmanand Shankhwalkar (1998) and Bruno Coutinho (2001), both footballers.
