Continuing the tradition of receiving awards and rewards by table tennis players in recent years, Archana Girish Kamath, joined the elite group of paddlers.

The Karnataka government conferred on Archana the Ekalavya Award, the state’s highest sports award, for the year 2014 at a function held at the Senate Bhavan in the heritage city of Mysore on May 10.

With Archana away in Europe, participating in pro-tour events, her father Dr Girish Kamath received the award on her behalf from state chief minister Siddramaiah. The Ekalavya Award carries a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakh, a scroll and a memento.  

Archana, who has had good harvests at domestic and international levels in the last couple of years, has been a promising paddler and had on her maiden appearance in the junior section, won the national title last season. Apart from keeping the state’s honours intact, Archana has kept the country’s interest in mind through her achievements. But what endeared her to everyone was the history-making run she had at the ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals at Indore early this year. It was, indeed, a mindboggling performance as she became the first Indian girl to enter the quarterfinals.  The WJCF drew the cream of talent from around the world with 16 top girls making the cut.

So, it was not surprising that the 15-year-old was one of the youngest to be bestowed with the state award. The award, instituted in 1992, is given to talented achievers in different sport disciplines by the state’s Department of Youth Empowerment and Sport.