Hockey stars Hardik Singh and Savita Punia received the Balbir Singh Senior Award for Player of the Year 2022

Punjab’s 24-year-old midfielder Hardik Singh and goalkeeper Savita Punia from Haryana were recipients of the Balbir Singh Senior Award for Player of the Year 2022 in the men's and women’s groups respectively during Hockey India's annual felicitation ceremony here on Friday.

The winners of the prestigious Balbir Singh Senior Award carry a glittering trophy and cash prize of Rs 25.00 Lakh each.

Hardik Singh said the award was a tremendous honour for him.

“It’s been a fantastic year, and it feels great to be recognized for the efforts on the play field,” Hardik said. “I honestly feel that I am accepting this honour on behalf of the entire team. I would like to thank each and every member of our team as it wouldn’t have been possible without their support.”

Savita was also thankful to the teammates and coaching staff for their continuous encouragement.

“We performed as a team, and winning the inaugural FIH Women’s Nations Cup was a watershed moment for all of us,” Savita said.

The Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award 2022, carrying a cash prize of Rs 30 Lakh and a trophy, was presented to Gurbux Singh for his outstanding contribution to hockey.

Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India, said the federation has always strived to ensure we can provide the best surroundings, environment and right infrastructure so that our talented players and coaching staff can truly reach their full potential.

“It feels great to see our hard work bear fruit and we truly celebrate when our players make us proud with their stellar performances all around the globe,” Tirkey said.

While Amit Singh Bakshi, who was part of the Indian team that won the gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, received the prestigious Hockey India Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2021.

Meanwhile, ace drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and Savita won the Balbir Singh Senior Award for Player of the Year 2021 awards in the men’s and women's categories, respectively.

Former Indian skipper Manpreet Singh and Rani were among several players who received awards for their outstanding performances in the 2021 and 2022 season.

The Hockey Ace Foundation was also presented with the honour of the Hockey India President Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2022, earning prize money of Rs 5 lakh and a trophy.

The Hockey Ace Foundation – a joint venture between Tata Steel Limited and Tata Trusts has been successfully running two hockey academies - the Naval Tata Hockey Academy in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and the Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Center in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, which is established with the help of the Govt. of Odisha.

The winners:

2022: Player of the Year (Men, ₹25 lakh): Hardik Singh

2022: Player of the Year (Women, ₹25 lakh): Savita

2021: Player of the Year (Men, ₹25 lakh): Harmanpreet Singh

2021: Player of the Year (Women, ₹25 lakh): Savita

2021-22: FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (Men, ₹5 lakh): P.R. Sreejesh

2021-22: FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (Women, ₹5 lakh): Savita

2022: Lifetime Achievement Award (₹30 lakh): Gurbux Singh.

2021:Lifetime Achievement Award (₹30 lakh): Amit Singh Bakshi

Upcoming Player of the Year (Men, ₹10 lakh): Uttam Singh

Upcoming Player of the Year (Women, ₹10 lakh): Mumtaz Khan

Forward of the Year (₹5 lakh): Vandana Katariya

Midfielder of the Year (₹5 lakh): Sushila Chanu