The game of Yachting is very much popular in the rural parts of India and though this very game is not that famous or well known in the national level, there is a successful history of the game. Perhaps most of the urban people of India may even don`t know about the game. However, the game also has quite a few "Arjuna Award" winners.
The game of Yachting started its journey in the winners` list of the "Arjuna Award" from the year of 1970, a little late in comparison to most of the other games. Lt. Cdr. S.J. Contractor was the very first winner of the award on behalf of all the Yachting players to win it in 1970. After him, Afsar Hussain won it in 1973 and became the second player to have the success. In 1978-79, Cdr. S.K. Mongia claimed the award after an interval of 6 years and Zarir Karanjia won it in 1981.
The year of 1982 was the best year for the Yachting players as far as winning the "Arjuna Award" is concerned as they got three winners of the award in that very year. The winners were Farokh Tarapore, Fali Unwalla and Jeeja Unwalla. Then there was another interval of 4 years and in the year of 1986, Lt. Dhruv Bhandari successfully claimed the award. C.S. Pradipak followed him and won the award in the very next year in 1987 and after him, P.K. Garg received the award in the year of 1990.
The "Arjuna Award" was named after Cdr. Homi Motiwala for the year of 1993 and in 1996, the award went to Lt. Cdr. Kelly Subbanand Rao who was named as the winner after his death. The year of 1999 saw Aashim Mongia as the winner of the award on behalf of the Yachting players and Nitin Mongia was the last Yachting player so far to win the prestigious and honourable award. He won it in the year of 2002.
There is a question in the minds of most of the people of India about the game of Yachting that, what the game is all about? And what is the exact utility of the sport? To answer them, it should be said that the game of Yachting is a team game and it is played in the rivers and the main utility of this very game is to build one`s body very strongly. Any way, though the performance of the Yachting players of India is not that much high class as far as winning the "Arjuna Award" is concerned, there is some very positive signs for the game in India to shine in future.
Year | Recipient Name | Year | Recipient Name |
1970 | Lt. Cdr. S. J. Contractor | 1990 | P. K. Garg |
1973 | Afsar Hussain | 1993 | Cdr. Homi Motiwala |
1978-79 | Cdr. S. K. Mongia | 1996 | Lt. Cdr. Kelly Subbanand Rao (Posthumously) |
1981 | Zarir Karanjia | 1999 | Aashim Mongia |
1982 | Farokh Tarapore, Fali Unwalla, Jeeja Unwalla | 2002 | Nitin Mongia |
1986 | Lt. Dhruv Bhandari | 2009 | Girdhari Lal Yadav |
1987 | C. S. Pradipak | - | - |