President to honour Para-Swimmer Shri Satendra Singh with Tenzing Norgey National Award

Bhopal : Minister for Social Justice and Disabled Welfare Minister Shri Prem Singh Patel congratulated the internationally renowned para-swimmer Shri Satendra Singh Lohiya of the state on his selection for the prestigious Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award-2020. The President Shri Ramnath Kovind will present this award in New Delhi on August 29. Shri Satendra Singh is the first handicapped sportsperson of the country to receive this award. Shri Lohiya became the first para-swimmer of Asia, who crossed the 42 k.m. Catalina Channel of America in just 11.34 hours. With the water temperature of about 12 degree, the danger of sharks’ attack always looms in the channel. To avoid speedy wind during the day, Shri Lohiya crossed the channel at night facing great challenge.

A resident of Gata village of Gwalior district, Shri Satendra Lohiya’s father Shri Gayaram Lohiya is currently rendering his services in the capacity of security guard at Muthoot Finance. Shri Satendra Lohiya is serving in Commercial Taxes department in Indore. Shri Lohiya says that he has shaped his problems into strength. Disabled persons need support and respect not sympathy.

Honoured with ‘Sarvshreshth Divyang Khiladi’ National Award by the Vice President Shri Venkaiah Naidu on the occasion of International Day of Disabled Persons, the para-swimmer Shri Satendra Singh has also been conferred with the Highest Sports Award of Madhya Pradesh. He had also won gold medal for India at Olympic Swimming NSW-2017 State Open Championship in Sydney of Australia. In May 2017, he swam a distance of 33 k.m. under open water sea swimming. On June 24, 2018, Shri Lohiya set a record with para-swimming relay team at English Channel Catalina Swimming and created a history by swimming the English Channel on August 18, 2019. Shri Satendra Lohiya has brought laurel to Madhya Pradesh by winning 12 silver and 8 bronze medals in various national competitions.