Risaldar Ajay Savant.
New Delhi: The 61st Cavalry, which is Indian Army’s the most decorated regiment in sports, has made the Army proud yet again. Risaldar Ajay Savant of the 61st Cavalry has been conferred upon the Arjuna Award for the year 2020 for the sport of tent pegging.
This is the 12th Arjuna Award for the regiment.
Ajay Sawant holds an unparalleled record of eight gold, four silver and two bronze medals in three successive world cups. The 45-year-old has won multiple medals for the country including gold in the 2016 World Cup in Egypt. He said, “I won three gold medals, including a top finish in an individual event during the 2016 World Cup. We also won the team silver in the 2018 World Cup in Abu Dhabi. Apart from these, I won individual gold, silver and bronze in the World Cup Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi and Australia in 2015 and 2018.”
Risaldar Ajay Savant.
Tent pegging, a martial sport competed on horseback involves accurately hitting very small targets on a galloping horse with the help of a sword and lance. With this sport, which is related to equestrianism not being an Olympic sport, and not being part of the Asian Games after a solitary appearance in 1982, Sawant’s inclusion in the list of Arjuna awardees came as a surprise, especially since his name was sent for the award every year since 2016.
Risaldar Ajay Savant.
Apart from being an excellent tent pegger, Risaldar Ajay Sawant has been training horses and officer cadets of the Indian armed forces and promoting tent pegging to younger players and beginners.
He is the son of an ex-serviceman who served in the Maratha Light Infantry. His rapid progress in the sports has been a source of inspiration to a whole generation of young equestrian players from all walks of life.
