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Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Athens Olympics silver medallist-turned-politician was recently appointed the nation's Sports Minister after a cabinet reshuffle. Rathore, prior to this, had served as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, a position he will continue to hold.
The Jaisalmer-born minister takes over from Vijay Goel, who has been transferred to Parliamentary affairs. Here is everything you need to know about India's new Sports Minister!
Military Stint
During his stint in the army, he fought militants in Kashmir which helped him become more prominent as a shooter. He has been awarded the 'Sword of Honour' from the Indian Military Academy for being the best all-round Gentleman Cadet.
Sporting Career
At the 2002 Commonwealth Games, he took the world by storm as he won gold and set a new record of 192 targets out of 200, a record that has stood the test of time. He also won a team gold medal partnering Moraad Ali Khan in the double trap pairs event. In 2006, at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, he again won gold in the double trap individual event, however, in the pairs event he and his partner Vikram Bhatnagar took home the silver.
In the World Championships in Sydney and Cairo in 2004 and 2006 respectively, he bagged gold medals. The crowning jewel of his achievements was when he won silver at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Political Career
In 2013, he announced his retirement from the armed forces and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. A year later he became an MP of the Jaipur rural constituency. In 2014, he was sworn in as Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting under the Modi government.
Accolades and Awards
Throughout his career, Rathore has received numerous honours and accolades. In 1989, he was awarded the 'Blazer', the highest sports award in the National Defence Academy in Pune. In 1990, he was the recipient of the Sikh Regiment Gold Medal, an honour which is reserved for the Best Sportsman at the Indian Military Academy.
As mentioned earlier, he also received the Sword of Honour from the Indian Military Academy. He was also the official flag bearer for India at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. On behalf of the Government of India, the President also awarded him the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), a military award for exceptional service.
In 2003-2004, he also received the Arjuna Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sport.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of the Republic of India, was also bestowed upon him in 2004-2005. Finally, in 2005, he was the recipient of the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, for his contribution to sport in India.
