India No. 1 para table tennis player Nurjahan Noorali Jamani has received Gujarat’s prestigious Sardar Patel Sports Award, adding a major state honour to her comeback story in the sport. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi conferred the award at a ceremony in Gandhinagar on August 12.
The recognition is a significant milestone for Jamani, who is ranked World No. 27 in her category and has returned strongly to competitive para table tennis since 2022. The Ahmedabad-based athlete said the award would motivate her to pursue bigger goals while representing India.
One of Gujarat’s highest sporting honours
The Sardar Patel Sports Award is instituted by the Sports, Youth and Cultural Activities Department of the Government of Gujarat. It is among the state’s highest sporting honours and recognises athletes who demonstrate resilience, determination and excellence while bringing distinction to Gujarat and India through sport.
Named after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the award marked another important moment in Jamani’s career. She received the honour after a period in which her domestic performances helped establish her as India’s top-ranked para table tennis player.
Jamani was diagnosed with polio at the age of five. She first competed in para table tennis between 2007 and 2010, before stepping away from the sport for more than a decade. Her competitive return in 2022 began the latest chapter of her journey.
Since coming back, she has defended her title at the UTT Para Senior National Championship 2025-26 in Indore after winning the UTT National Para Table Tennis Championship. Those results propelled her to India No. 1 and World No. 27 in her category.
“This recognition from the Government of Gujarat is incredibly special and motivates me to aim even higher,” Jamani said. “Every milestone strengthens my resolve to represent India with pride. I am grateful to Adani Sportsline and the ‘Garv Hai’ initiative for believing in me and supporting my journey at every step.”
Focus turns to the 2026 Asian Para Games
Jamani now has her sights set on qualifying for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, scheduled from October 18 to 24. The Gujarat award arrives as she looks to build on her national success and pursue another opportunity on the international stage.
Based in Ahmedabad, Jamani works as a Junior Officer at Adani Airport Holdings Limited. She is supported through Adani Sportsline’s ‘Garv Hai’ initiative, which provides tournament planning, coaching guidance, performance monitoring and assistance for international competitions.
Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer at Adani Sportsline, congratulated Jamani on the recognition and pointed to the determination behind her progress. “Nurjahan’s journey reflects the determination and resilience that defines champions,” he said. “We are proud to support her through ‘Garv Hai’ and congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
For Jamani, the Sardar Patel Sports Award is both recognition of her achievements and a marker of the work ahead. With her national standing, world ranking and Asian Para Games objective in view, she will look to carry the momentum from this honour into the next phase of her para table tennis career.
