Pune: Army Sports Institute pugilist Sub Manish Kaushik has been awarded the most Prestigious Sports Award 'ARJUNA AWARD'. He is a likely prospect in the upcoming Olympics.
Manish joined the Indian Army Mission Olympic Wing or Army Sports Institute, Pune in 2016 and became the National Champion for the first time by defeating Olympian Shiva Thapa in 2017.
Some of his recent major performances are Bronze in World Championship 2019, Silver in India Open International Tournament 2019, Silver in Commonwealth Games 2018, Gold in Asian Game Test Event 2018 and qualification for Tokyo Olympics.
Subedar Manish Kaushik was born on 11 January 1996 in Devsar village, Bhiwani, Haryana. His father Shri Somdutt Sharma is a farmer and his mother is a homemaker. Manish followed the footsteps of his village boxer Jitender Kumar who participated in Olympics 2008.
Army Sports Institute was recently awarded Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2020 under the category of 'Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent' by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to the corporate entities, both in the private and public sector, and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
Army Sports Institute, Pune was raised as part of Indian Army's "Mission Olympics" programme on Jul 1, 2001. The aim was to train the vast reservoir of talent in the Army in selected seven disciplines to include Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Diving, Fencing, Weightlifting and Wrestling with an ultimate aim of winning medals at Olympics.
The institute draws its sportsmen from the Army as well as from young raw and proven talent in 'Boys Sports Companies' of 8 to 14 years ago. These sportsmen are supported by a team of Foreign, Indian coaches, physical conditioners, specialists in Sports Medicine, Physiology, Psychology, Biomechanics, Statistics and Nutrition.
Twenty sportsmen of ASI have participated in the Olympics and twelve sportsmen have already qualified for the Tokyo 2021 Olympics with more yet to qualify. The Institute has won six (06) Youth Olympic Medals, nineteen (19) medals in Asian Games and eighteen medals (18) in Commonwealth Games.