Now Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh to return Padma Shri over WFI president's election

Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav returns Padma Shri in solidarity with wrestlers protesting WFI election.

Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav, better known as Goonga Pehlwan, has now decided to return his Padma Shri to the government, showing solidarity with the country's top wrestlers who have objected to election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh as WFI president.

Throwing his weight behind Olympic bronze medallist grappler Sakshi Malik, who announced her retirement from the sport soon after Sanjay Singh's victory in the recent WFI polls, Virender said he would return the honour as a mark of protest against the election of Brij Bhushan's close aide.

Bajrang Punia, one of the prominent faces of the protest against the former WFI chief, had returned his Padma Shri on Friday.

"I will also return the Padma Shri for my sister and the country's daughter. Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, I am proud of your daughter and my sister Sakshi Malikkh," Virender wrote on X.

He also urged the country's iconic sports personalities such as Sachin Tendulkar and Neeraj Chopra to give their opinion on the issue.

"I would also request the top players of the country to also give their decision," Virender, said in his post, tagging cricket legend Tendulkar and Olympic champion javelin thrower Chopra.

Virender had received the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award, in 2021. Before that, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2015.