Achievers award for shooter Avneet Sidhu

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, November 12

City-based former international shooter Avneet Sidhu, who is a DSP with the Punjab Police, was honoured with Guru Nanak Dev Ji Achievers Award during a state-level function at Sultanpur Lodhi on Sunday.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh conferred the award on Avneet during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev for her contribution to the field of sports . The state government has honoured 550 Punjabis who achieved success in their fields.

Avneet said, “The award becomes special with Guru Nanak ji’s name attached to it. I feel humbled, privileged and fortunate to have received this honour on such an auspicious occasion. It brings a greater responsibility to carry forward the message of Guru Nanak Dev ji. I hope and wish that with Guru ji’s blessings, I am able to contribute my bit to spread the message of love, kindness, compassion and humanity and try to become a better person.”

Avneet’s husband and former Indian hockey captain Rajpal Singh, who is also a DSP in Punjab Police, was also conferred the award at the function.

Avneet has also taken part in 28 international competitions and 12 world cups in her shooting career. She has won over 100 medals in different competitions. Avneet was conferred Arjuna Award on August 29, 2008, by the President of India. She is a recipient of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award as well.

Born in 1981, Avneet started her shooting career in 2001 from Dasmesh Girls’ College, Badal. Impressing all with her calibre in a short span of six years, she reached the top. She had secured gold and silver in the 18th Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne in 2006.

Besides, she had bagged a bronze medal in the 15th Asian Games held in Doha (Qatar) in 2006. She won bronze in the 11th Asian Shooting Championship held in Kuwait. During AISL Australia Cup II held in Sydney in March 2008, she bagged a gold medal.

Recently, Avneet had again brought laurels to the country by winning four medals in the 2017 World Police and Fire Games, which were held in Los Angeles.