HCL Foundation Sports Scholar Jerlin Anika receives Arjuna Award 2022

HCL Foundation Sports Scholar, Jerlin Anika has become India’s first woman Deaflympian to receive the Arjuna Award for her achievements in badminton. 

She received the prestigious honor on Monday from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu. A badminton prodigy, 18-year-old Jerlin won three gold medals at the 2022 Deaflympics in Brazil while representing India. She also won six gold medals at the Asia Pacific Youth Badminton Championships and Asia Pacific Deaf Badminton Championships in Thailand this year. 

Earlier, Jerlin won one gold, two silver, and one bronze at the World Deaf Badminton Championships 2019 in China. Since 2019, Jerlin has been supported by HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of HCLTech, under its ‘Sports for Change’ initiative. By providing a high-quality and inclusive sporting experience, the program aims to enable balanced participation, excellence, and holistic development of children from disadvantaged communities.

 “We are delighted at Jerlin’s achievements. She is a youth icon and an inspiration for millions of young people, particularly differently abled children, to break barriers and prove their mettle in sports and other fields. At HCL Foundation, we are proud to have been part of this wonderful journey. We wish Jerlin a successful future and may she continue to bring glory to India,” said Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President, Global CSR, HCL Foundation.