Sixteen-year-old Neha Ghayal has added another feather to her cap. The winner of state and national-level championships in rope malkhamb has now been awarded the Shiv Chhatrapati Award for 2002-03.

The resident of Arunoday Nagar, Mulund (E), received the award from Maharashtra governor Mohammaf Fazal at a glittering function on Feb 19, the Shiv Jayanti day. The award ceremony was held at the Ravindra Natya Mandir, Worli, and chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde was the chief guest at the occasion.

I am very satisfied with my achievements, says the beaming Neha, and I hope to continue performing better in future.

A Class 12 science student of Kelkar College, Neha started training in malkhamb at the age of six under Mulund Gymkhana coach Deepak Surve. When Neha was 11, she won the under-12, national level malkhamb championship in 1996 and then there was no looking back.

Neha has been training in malkhamb under me since she was six years old. I admire this young girls flexibility and determination, says Deepak Surve, her coach.

Though Neha is on cloud nine at present, she is concerned about her future in the sport. Malkhamb does not have enough representation in the international arena. The maximum that a player can do in the sport is reach the national level.

Nehas achievements

Neha won a gold medal in the under-12 category at the 15th state-level malkhamb championship in 1996.

In the same year, she won the gold medal in under-12 national-level championships.

In 1997, she won a gold medal at the under-12 state and national-level championships.

In Nov 1998, she won a gold medal in under-14, state-level
championships.

In March 1999, she won the under-14 national-level championship.

In 2001, she won the under-16 national and state-level championships.

In 2002, she won the above-16 state and national-level
championships.

In 2003, she repeated her victory in the same category.

About the Shiv Chhatrapati award