AHMEDABAD: Hindu Helpline, a call centre service of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal, conferred the Hindu Ratna award on All-England champion and one of the most successful badminton coaches of the country, Pullela Gopichand, at a function at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Society in Shahibaugh on Saturday afternoon.
The function was presided over by VHP international president and one of the founder members of the Hindu Helpline, Dr Praveen Togadia.
Along with Gopichand, two agriculture scientists R K Pathak and Ram Awadh Ram were also conferred the Hindu Ratna award. The award carries Rs 51,000 cash and a trophy.
Pathak is a horticulturist who obtained his doctorate from IARI in 1970 and had spent his entire life serving horticulture in different capacities.
Ram is a master in organic farming and is a scientist at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.