The Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is truly special and getting it before the Paris Olympics next year is a huge morale-booster, said Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy after he and doubles partner Chirag Shetty were formally named for the prestigious award on Wednesday.
“Honestly, I was not expecting this so early. This is all the more special since we both (Chirag and I) got it. We feel it is a recognition of our achievements and would like to give credit to the family members, coach Mathias Boe, Gopi Sir (chief national coach) and the entire support staff at Gopi Academy,” Satwik told The Hindu.
“My parents are really thrilled and this is another unforgettable day for all of us,” he said. “This has been a mixed year so far... I would say 50% good and 50% bad. But definitely the World No. 1 ranking is one of the most memorable moments besides winning the 2023 Asian Games gold,” Satwik said.
