Mysuru: Boppanda Diya Bheemaiah, a promising badminton player from Mysuru, has been honoured with Karnataka Government’s prestigious Bal Gaurav Award for 2022-23.

The award was conferred by Karnataka State Bal Vikas Academy in recognition of exceptional achievements by children under the age of 18.

According to the selection list released by the Academy, Diya received the award in the Junior Category – Sports, acknowledging her outstanding performance and consistent excellence in badminton. She is currently ranked among the top badminton players in Karnataka.

Diya has been training under Head Coach Arun Pemmaiah at Sports Park Badminton Academy in Mysuru, with guidance and mentorship from Senior Coach B.P. Bheemaiah, her father.

She is pursuing her 2nd PUC Science at Vidhyaashram and is presently undergoing advanced training at Centre of Excellence under the Badminton Association of India (BAI) in Assam.

The ceremony was held last month at the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi and the award was presented in the presence of Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Bal Vikas Academy President Sangamesh Babaleswar and several other dignitaries.

Bal Gaurav Award is the highest recognition bestowed by the Karnataka Government on children for extraordinary accomplishments in fields such as music, dance, sports, painting and science.