Navi Mumbai News: Raigad Collector Kishan Jawale Declares 7 Shiv Chhatrapati Award-Winning Athletes As Youth Icons To Inspire District’s Youth

Navi Mumbai: Raigad District Collector Kishan Jawale on Wednesday declared seven Shiv Chhatrapati State Sports Award-winning athletes from the district as official Youth Icons. The announcement was made during a special felicitation ceremony held at the District Collector’s office.

This marks the first time that seven athletes from Raigad have simultaneously received the prestigious state-level sports honor. Recognizing their achievements, Collector Jawale emphasized their role as inspiring figures for the youth of the district and beyond.

“Courage, determination, discipline, and resilience are the essence of Raigad’s spirit. These athletes have not only brought pride to the district but have also shown the potential to represent the state and the nation with distinction,” said Jawale during the event.

Among the honored athletes was Sumati Siddharth Shirur from Panvel, who competes in Para Shooting and was awarded the Jijamata Award. Shreyas Vaidya from Nagothane was recognized for his achievements in swimming and water polo. Mansi Mohite, hailing from Mahad, was awarded for her accomplishments in triathlon. Another Mahad-based athlete, Dhananjay Pandey, was honored for his excellence in rowing.

Rishikesh Malore from Mangaon, who competes in Wushu in the differently abled category, was also among those felicitated. Komal Kirve was recognized for her performance in swimming and water polo, while Swastik Ghosh was also acknowledged for his contributions to sports.

Each of the athletes was presented with a certificate and a bouquet by District Collector Kishan Jawale in appreciation of their achievements.

The event was attended by several senior officials including Zilla Parishad CEO Neha Bhosale, District Information Officer Manisha Pingle, Primary Education Officer Punita Gurav, and District Sports Officer Prashant Wagh.

The ceremony commenced with an introductory address by District Sports Officer Prashant Wagh, while Taluka Sports Officer Rajendra Atanoor delivered the vote of thanks.

District Collector Jawale extended his best wishes to the athletes for their future endeavors and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to supporting them. He encouraged them to continue excelling and bringing further recognition to the district, and called upon the youth of Raigad to draw inspiration from these achievers and actively engage in sports.