New Delhi: Indian trailblazing gymnast Dipa Karmakar and wrestler Sakshi Malik on Thursday received the coveted Padma Shri Award from President Pranab Mukherjee in the national capital.
Karmakar, hailing from Agartala, missed the bronze medal by 0.150 points as American gymnast Simone Biles won her third gold medal at the Rio Olympics last year.
The 23-year-old had created history when she became the first Indian gymnast to enter the final on her debut at the quadrennial multi-discipline games after finishing eighth in the qualifying round.
She had initially come to spotlight after winning a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, thus becoming the first Indian female gymnast to achieve the feat.
Sakshi, on the other hand, won the bronze medal in the 58 kg category at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
With the win, Malik became the first woman wrestler in India to win an Olympic medal and fourth Indian woman athlete to clinch the coveted medal after Karnam Malleshwari, Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal.
Meanwhile, discus thrower Vikas Gowda and Paralympian Mariyappan Thangavelu were other notable winners of the prestigious award.
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