TN announces awards for sportsmen, coaches

CHENNAI: The State government announced awards for the best male and female sportspersons, best coaches, best referees and best organisers for the year 2018-19 and 2019-20. A GO was issued by the government to give effect to the announcement.

According to the order, renowned tennis player Jeevan Nedunchezhian and S Prithvi Sekhar (Lawn Tennis) were announced the best male sportspersons for the year 2018-19. S Shri Nivetha (shooting) and Sunayna Sara Kuruvilla (squash) were announced the best female sportspersons for 2018-19.

Similarly, Prajnesh Gunneswaran (lawn tennis) and R Mohan Kumar (athletics) were adjudged the best male sportspersons for the year 2019-20 and P Anushiya Priyadarshini (Taekwondo) and S Selena Deepthi (Table Tennis) were adjudged the best female sportspersons for 2019-20.

Satgurudas (rifle shooting) and G Gokila (athletics) were adjudged the best coaches for the year 2018-19 and K S Mohammed Nizamuddin and S Gokila were adjudged the best coaches for the year 2019-20. C Rajesh Kanna (Football) and M P Murali (beach volleyball/volleyball) were adjudged the best physical director (PD) /physical education teacher (PET) for the year 2018-19 and R Ramasubramanian (ball badminton) and A Arockia Mercy (Volleyball) were announced as the best PD/PT for the year 2019-20.

V P Dhanapal (Basketball) was adjudged the best referee for the year 2018-19 and T Sundararaj (Kabaddi) was adjudged the best referee for the year 2019-20. Tamil Nadu BasketBall Association was adjudged the best organiser for the year 2018-19 while the award was not given to any for 2019-20.

All the awardees except the best referee and best organiser will receive the cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each while the best referee and best organiser will receive a gold medal worth Rs 10,000 each.

However, sources in the Sports Department said that the date for issuing the awards is not yet finalised.