Teenage archer Kumkum Anil Mohod and wrestler Sujeet Kalkal have been named the inaugural recipients of the Jaspal Rana Award and the Raja Randhir Singh Award by the Indian Olympic Association, recognising their standout performances at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.
IOA president PT Usha announced the honours on Sunday, saying the two new awards were instituted to celebrate the best female and male sportspersons of the Games and to commemorate the legacy of two stalwarts of Indian sport who passed away earlier this year.
Mohod ends South Korea's dominance
Kumkum, 17, was making her Asian Games debut and claimed three medals, including two golds. Alongside Ankita Bhakat and Kirti, she won the women's recurve team gold, ending South Korea's run of seven consecutive Asian Games team titles. She then became the first Indian to win individual recurve archery gold — a result that also secured an Olympic quota place for India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"It is fitting that Kumkum is the first recipient of the Jaspal Rana Award, as Jaspal too burst onto the scene as a prodigy at the 1994 Asian Games," Usha said, praising the young archer's composure under pressure.
Kalkal's dramatic wrestling gold
Sujeet, 23, was named the inaugural recipient of the Raja Randhir Singh Award after winning gold in the men's 65kg freestyle wrestling category. His run produced one of the most dramatic moments of the Games: he defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in the semifinal before staging a stunning comeback in the gold-medal bout, rallying from 2-9 down against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev to win 10-9.
The awards are named after legendary shooter Jaspal Rana, who won eight Asian Games medals including four golds, and renowned shooter and administrator Raja Randhir Singh, who won four Asian Games medals including one gold.
Sources:
The Indian Express — Kumkum Mohod, Sujeet Kalkal named inaugural recipients of Jaspal Rana & Raja Randhir Singh awards
Times Now — Kumkum Mohod, Sujeet Kalkal Win Inaugural Jaspal Rana, Raja Randhir Singh Awards
IOA president PT Usha announced the honours on Sunday, saying the two new awards were instituted to celebrate the best female and male sportspersons of the Games and to commemorate the legacy of two stalwarts of Indian sport who passed away earlier this year.
Mohod ends South Korea's dominance
Kumkum, 17, was making her Asian Games debut and claimed three medals, including two golds. Alongside Ankita Bhakat and Kirti, she won the women's recurve team gold, ending South Korea's run of seven consecutive Asian Games team titles. She then became the first Indian to win individual recurve archery gold — a result that also secured an Olympic quota place for India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
"It is fitting that Kumkum is the first recipient of the Jaspal Rana Award, as Jaspal too burst onto the scene as a prodigy at the 1994 Asian Games," Usha said, praising the young archer's composure under pressure.
Kalkal's dramatic wrestling gold
Sujeet, 23, was named the inaugural recipient of the Raja Randhir Singh Award after winning gold in the men's 65kg freestyle wrestling category. His run produced one of the most dramatic moments of the Games: he defeated reigning Olympic champion Kotaro Kiyooka of Japan in the semifinal before staging a stunning comeback in the gold-medal bout, rallying from 2-9 down against Abdulmazhid Kudiyev to win 10-9.
The awards are named after legendary shooter Jaspal Rana, who won eight Asian Games medals including four golds, and renowned shooter and administrator Raja Randhir Singh, who won four Asian Games medals including one gold.
Sources:
The Indian Express — Kumkum Mohod, Sujeet Kalkal named inaugural recipients of Jaspal Rana & Raja Randhir Singh awards
Times Now — Kumkum Mohod, Sujeet Kalkal Win Inaugural Jaspal Rana, Raja Randhir Singh Awards
