Ashwini Chidananda Shetty Akkunji (born 7 October 1987) is an Indian sprint athlete from Siddapura, Udupi who specializes in 400 metres.[1] Ashwini has won Gold Medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games in 4x400 m relay team event with Manjeet Kaur, Mandeep Kaur and Sini Jose[2] and an individual gold medal in the 400 metres hurdles on 25 November 2010 at the 2010 Asian Games held at Guangzhou, in China.[3] She is also a recipient of the Rajyotsava Prashasti (2010), a civilian honour awarded by the Indian State Government of Karnataka[4]
Bio
Born in Siddapura, Udupi, Kundapura taluk, Udupi district, Karnataka, she was raised in a Tulu-speaking family to her mother, Yashoda Shetty Akkunji and father, B.R. Chidananda Shetty.[5][6] Ashwini hails from an agriculturist family.[7] with a sporting legacy.[8] She grew up on her family's 5 acre farmland amidst Areca nut plantations along with her elder siblings a sister, Dipti and a brother, Amith.[9] Earlier, Ashwini was employed with the Indian Railways, and as a manager in Corporation bank in Patiala, Punjab[10] and presently works as a coach in Sports Authority of India Bangalore.[11]
Doping
In July 2011 prior to Asian athletics championships in Kobe (Japan) she tested positive for anabolic steroids.[12] She was subsequently dropped from the athletics team for the event and was suspended from athletics. She denied the charges but on 23 December 2011 the NADA banned her for a year.[13] The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal by the International Association of Athletics Federations against lighter sentences and handed Ashwini and 5 other athletes (Mandeep Kaur, Sini Jose, Jauna Murmu, Tiana Mary and Priyanka Panwar) a two-year ban.[14]
Awards, rewards and recognition
She was given the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2010. This comprised a cash payment of one hundred thousand Rupees, a 20 gramme gold medallion and a grant of priority in the allotment of house sites by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).[15] She has been rewarded financially by both the national and state governments, as well as Indian Railways, in recognition of the gold medals won in 2010.[16][17][18][19]
References
- ↑ Kundapur: Country's Pride, Ashwini Shetty Akkunje, Getting Accolades Aplenty(14 October 2010).
- ↑ Indian relay girls bring the house down. Times of India.
- ↑ Ashwini wants to win more medals, Rawat, Rahul. India Today.
- ↑ Infosys CEO Gopalakrishnan, Ullas Karanth bag top Karnataka award. The Hindu(30 October 2010).
- ↑ Ashwini's village in celebration mood!, Team Mangalorean. Mangalorean.com.
- ↑ Ashwini's family ecstatic. The Hindu(14 October 2010).
- ↑ Grit pumped up Karnataka's golden girl.. The Hindu(14 October 2010).
- ↑ Udupi: Rural Surroundings of Akkunje Scripts Ashwini's Success. Daijiworld.com.
- ↑ Gensale Express does India proud at Asiad, Daily News and Analysis. D B Corp Ltd..
- ↑ Running... till the cows come home. Daily News and Analysis.
- ↑ Udupi: Athlete Ashwini Akkunji gets engaged. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ↑ Ashwini and Priyanka add to doping shame : Controversies – London Olympics News – India Today
- ↑ ashwini akkunji.Template:Dead link
- ↑ CAS confirms 2-year bans on 6 Indian athletes. The Hindu(18 July 2012).
- ↑ Rajyotsava awards for 162 Bangalore, Oct 30, DH News Service: « NRI Forum Karnataka :: News
- ↑ India News. The Times of India(13 October 2010).
- ↑ Yeddy announces cash prizes to Karna medal winners in CWG
- ↑ Railways honours Commonwealth Games medallists. The Hindu(27 October 2010).
- ↑ The Village Road that Led to Guangzhou – Indian Express
External links
Template:Footer Asian Games Champions 400 metres hurdles Women Template:Authority control