Lalita Babar, who finished 10th in 3000m steeplechase final at the Rio Olympic Games last month, was on Saturday conferred with the sportswoman of the year award at the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai’s (SJAM) Golden Jubilee Annual Awards 2016. Satara-based Babar received the award from former India pacer Zaheer Khan, who was the chief guest at the event in Mumbai.
Maharashtra’s sixth Chess GM Shardul Gagare got the sportsman of the year award. Mumbai and India middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane received the International Cricketer of the Year award, while Rohit Sharma was presented with a special award for making the highest ODI score at Kolkata in 2014. Shardul Thakur and Shreyas Iyer shared the Ranji Trophy Cricketer of the year award. Their awards were received by officials of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). MCA was given the team of the year award, which Mumbai skipper Aditya Tare and coach Chandrakant Pandit received.
Mumbai had won the Ranji Trophy for the 41st time, defeating Saurashtra in the final. Devika Vaidya got the woman cricketer of the year award. Kabaddi team U Mumba was conferred with an Excellence award, while kabaddi player Abhilasha Mahtre got the sportsperson of the year Indian Games award.
Tennis player Siddhant Bhantia won the junior sportsman of the year award, while chess player Akanksha Hagawane bagged the junior sportswoman of the year. Young batsman Arrmaan Jaffer won the junior cricketer of the year award.
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