Karnal, Jan. 26 -- Kaithal's Harvinder Singh and Sonepat's Sant Ram Deswal were awarded Padma Shri on the eve of the Republic Day. Harvinder is India's first para-archer to win gold while educator Sant Ram Deswal was awarded Padma Shri in Literature and education.

A native of Kaithal district and an Arjun awardee, 33-year-old Harvinder has been conferred with the fourth highest civilian award in the field of sports. At the 2024 Paris Paralympics, Harvinder defeated Poland's Lukasz Ciszek 6-0 in the final of the Men's Individual Recurve Open to clinch India's 4th gold medal.

This was India's first-ever gold medal in para-archery and his second medal at the Paralympics, as he had won bronze in Tokyo in 2021.

Harvinder, who hails from Kai...