Olympian Bindra, Paralympian Malik honoured with special award at UK-India Awards 2024

India’s first individual gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, and Paralympian Deepa Malik have been houred with Special Recognition Awards at a ceremony celebrating Indians who have made a significant impact globally.

India Global Forum’s (IGF) annual UK-India Awards 2024 at Fairmont Windsor Park, near London, on Thursday evening, houred sporting legends alongside a ‘Global Indian Icon Award’ for social crusader Arunachalam Muruganantham, in recognition of his revolutionary work in menstrual hygiene captured in 2018 Akshay Kumar film ‘Pad Man’.

Lord Anthony Bamford, founder of multinational construction giant JCB, was houred with Lifetime Contribution to UK-India Relations.

“For a global sport like Olympics, it makes complete sense to have a closer relationship with world's largest population. Every fourth or fifth person in world is in India, so re's a lot of synergy re,” said Bindra, on India potentially hosting Olympics during a discussion around future of sport in country.

“But more than infrastructure, I think what we need is a vision that actually transcends far beyond sporting events itself. Olympics, whenever held in India, has to be seen as a catalyst for change, how Games can really address challenges and how it can seize opportunities.

"It really has to be a springboard for how we can make India healthier and make India a more inclusive country,” he said. “We have to use it as a guide to make India better through sport,” Bhindra said.

Bindra, who is a torchbearer at Paris Olympics next month, expressed confidence in India’s performance in games.

“We had our best ever start with seven at Tokyo and I'm quite sure that we better that and come back with our best-ever performance; and hopefully with our first female Olympic champion,” added retired sport shooter.

Dr Deepa Malik, first Indian Woman Paralympic Medallist and former president of Paralympic Committee of India, echoed sentiment for Paralympics.

“In Paralympics, India's journey to Paris 2024 is going to be far better than Tokyo 2020. number of sports has increased – last time we participated in nine sports, this time we are participating in 12 sports. Women's participation has increased; we do see a potential re for medals to grow. I do see m in double digits again,” she said.

UK-India Awards, which came towards end of week-long IGF London summit, recognise outstanding contributions of leaders in business, professional services, government, culture and social impact, highlighting ir remarkable achievements in strengning bilateral ties.

“My ambition is to be able to put this relationship with our business partners at a st where it is really second to ne, one in which invation that happens at universities and research centres here in UK has Indian partners and Indian partners help take those invations to global market by producing in India.

“In or words, a partnership that we make toger for world,” said Indian High Commissioner to UK Vikram Doraiswami in his address at ceremony.

Among some of or winners this year were a ‘Significant Contribution to UK-India Relations Award’ for London’s Science Museum Group, ‘Research & Invation Award’ for Serum Institute of India and University of Oxford for ir vaccine collaborations and ‘Culture and Creativity Award’ for Teamwork Arts behind Jaipur Literature Festival in London.

IGF UK-India Awards founder Maj Ladwa added: “India’s transformation is t only in India’s interest, but also in interest of UK, which I believe stands most to gain and, in fact, most to contribute as a partner of choice in this incredible journey.

“Wher it’s our world-class universities, our cutting-edge research institutes, our global supply chain networks, our sports and tech expertise, our defence and security capabilities, or sheer financial might of City of London, UK has it all.”