June 14, 2026 10:56 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Tragedy in the skies: Five IAF personnel killed in AN-32 crash in Assam | 'Ask probe officers whether I hid anything': Abhishek Banerjee hits back after pre-dawn police search | Police storm Abhishek Banerjee's house at 3 am tracking aide, Mamata arrives; seizure list says 'NIL' | Big boost for India's security: DRDO successfully tests advanced missile shield | Indian-origin man jailed for 34 years in UK over horrific kidnap, torture and rape case | Mamata's nightmare deepens! Saayoni Ghosh, Dev, Rachana Banerjee among 19 rebel MPs seeking TMC split | Trump claims US 'ended war with Iran', Tehran yet to confirm a deal | Heartbreak for Indian sports: Manu Bhaker's mentor Jaspal Rana passes away at 49 | Three Indian seafarers, missing after US strike on tanker near Oman, confirmed dead | 'Choose your side': TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee's ultimatum to Mamata in open revolt against Abhishek
Bajrang Punia
Bajrang Punia to return Padma Shri to PM Narendra Modi to protest WFI chief's election. Photo Courtesy: Bajrang Punia X page

WFI chief Sanjay Singh's election: Bajrang Punia says he will return Padma Shri to PM Modi

| @indiablooms | Dec 23, 2023, at 12:31 am

Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday (December 22, 2023) said he will return his Padma Shri award to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day after former Wrestling Federation of India chief's close aide Sanjay Singh was elected to the top post of the Indian wrestling body.

Bajrang's co-wrestler and Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik earlier hung up her boots to protest against the election.

On his X page, Punia wrote: "I am returning my Padma Shri to PM Narendra Modi."

Sanjay Singh defeated Anita Sheoran 40-7 in a virtually one-sided contest.

However, Prem Chand Lochab, who seemingly got the support of the protesting wrestlers, was elected as the secretary general.

The wrestlers officially ended their protest on June 7 after the Sports Minister assured them none of the family members or close associates of Brij Bhushan would be allowed to enter the WFI election.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.