Kumkum, Sujeet named the first winner of the Jaspal Rana Awards, Raja Randhir Singh

Kumkum Mohod and Sujeet Kalkal have been rewarded for their outstanding campaigns at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, with the Indian Olympic Association naming them the inaugural recipients of its Best Sportsperson and Athlete of the Games awards.

Mohod, 17, received the Jaspal Rana Award after a memorable debut at the Continental Games, while Kalkal, 23, was named the first recipient of the Raja Randhir Singh Award after winning gold in the men’s 65kg freestyle.

The IOA has introduced two awards to recognize outstanding performances at the Asian Games and to commemorate the legacy of Jaspal Rana and Raj Randhir Singh, two stalwarts of Indian sports who passed away earlier this year.

Mohod was one of the breakout stars of India’s Aichi-Nagoya campaign. She returned with three medals, including gold in the women’s recurve team and individual.

Her biggest contribution came in helping India break South Korea’s dominance in women’s archery. Along with Ankita Bhakat and Kirti, she ended South Korea’s streak of seven consecutive Asian Games team titles since the 1998 Bangkok Games.

Mohodova then added an individual gold, with South Korea missing the women’s recurve title at the Asian Games for the first time in the discipline’s history. The result also secured India a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

IOA president PT Usha said Mohoda’s temperament under pressure made her a fitting first recipient of the award named after Rana, who emerged as a teenage star at the 1994 Asian Games.

“It is fitting that Kumkum is the first recipient of the Jaspal Rana Award as Jaspal also burst onto the scene as a prodigy at the 1994 Asian Games,” said Usha.

“Her composure under pressure and her ability to find her best form when her back was against the wall bodes extremely well for Indian archery.”

Usha also said that Indian archers have been striving for an Olympic breakthrough for more than a decade and backed the team to finally break this barrier in Los Angeles in 2028.

Kalkal’s award comes after one of the most dramatic wrestling performances of the games. He first defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyoka of Japan in the semi-finals before recovering from a 2–9 deficit against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev in the final.

As time goes by, Kalkal staged a late fightback to win 10-9 to clinch the gold medal.

His victory followed India’s successes in the 65kg category at the Asian Games after gold medals for Yogeshwar Dutt in 2014 and Bajrang Punia in 2018.

Usha praised Kalkal’s fighting spirit and said his refusal to settle for silver was as important as the result itself.

“Wrestling is an Indian sport and Sujeet’s performance will be talked about for years to come. The gold medal will be celebrated but his never say die attitude and refusal to accept silver earned him a special place in the hearts of all Indians,” she said.

The IOA president also backed Kalkal to aim for a historic Olympic gold in Los Angeles.

“I wish Sujeet all the best in the years to come and will be rooting for him to win India’s first ever wrestling gold medal at the Olympics in two years,” Usha said.

The IOA will felicitate Mohoda and Kalkal at a ceremony in the coming days.

India finished fourth in the medal tally at the Asian Games with 21 gold, 27 silver and 37 bronze medals.

– The end