gautam gambhir harika dronavalli bajrang punia padma awards 2019

The Padma Awards 2019 featured a whole galaxy of sporting stars getting felicitated by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, for their achievements. Players like cricketer Gautam Gambhir, Indian woman Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli and players from Kabaddi, Basketball were felicitated. (Image credit: PTI)

Gautam Gambhir, who retired from all forms of cricket in December 2018 following the end of the Ranji Trophy game between Delhi and Andhra, has been a part of two Indian cricket teams who won the World Cup in 2007 and 2011. (Image credit: PTI)

Harika Dronavalli, the India woman Grandmaster, has taken the chess world by storm and she secured the bronze medal in the 2017 World Championship in Tehran. (Image credit: Harika Dronavalli Facebook)

Prashanti Singh has won 23 medals in the National Championships, National Games and Federation Cups in India. She holds the National record of having most medals in National Championships. She is first woman Basketball player in India to represent the National team in one 2006 Commonwealth Games & two Asian Games 2010, 2014 respectively. (Image credit: PTI)

Bachendri Pal in 1984 became the first Indian woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest and since then, her name has been etched in history. (Image credit: Twitter)

Ajay Thakur helped India win the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup and was also a key player in the Indian kabaddi team that won the Gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games in 2014. Thakur has over 14 years of professional experience in Kabaddi. (Image credit: PTI)