Arjuna Award recommended for Manali’s Shiva Keshavan

Our Correspondent

Kullu, August 19

A Manali resident Shiva Keshavan — the first Indian to compete in luge at the Winter Olympic Games — has been recommended for the Arjuna Award. Keshavan has also recently become the head coach of the Indian Luge Federation.

Keshavan represented India in the luge event for 22 years. He had represented India for six times at Winter Olympics from 1998 to 2018. He has won 10 medals for India at the international level and has held several world and Asian records.

At the age of 16, he became the youngest Olympian at the Winter Olympics in 1998. He also holds the record of being the first Indian to qualify for the Winter Olympics. He retired after the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Keshavan’s mother is from Italy and father is from Kerala, who live in Manali. Both were elated when he gave them the news that his name had been recommended for the prestigious award.

The names of 29 sportspersons have been recommended for the award by the selection committee. The honours will be conferred upon the chosen sportspersons on the National Sports Day on August 29.