NEW DELHI: When Saikhom Mirabai Chanu returned to her native village Nongpok Kakching in Manipur’s Imphal East district to a warm welcome in 2014 following her silver medal win at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, her fellow villagers asked her enthusiastically – ab to tu Arjuna awardee ho jayegi na (you will now become an Arjuna awardee?). With Mirabai’s teammate Sanjitha Chanu also grabbing a historic gold medal at the Glasgow CWG, the hopes of the two Manipuri girls were high – they were almost sure to get the Arjuna recognition. Unfortunately for them, it didn’t come their way despite applying for the honour.

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Mirabai decided to wait until the 2016 Rio Olympics, and kept working hard. But a forgettable outing in her debut Olympics, where she failed to finish her event, put paid to her hopes as she withdrew her application for the Arjuna that year the moment she returned from Rio, heartbroken and demoralised.

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Recovering from the setback, Mirabai made a promise to herself that she would now apply for the Arjuna only after laying her hands on the gold medal at the World Championships, which is currently underway in California. It was a tough task, since her single-minded determination meant she would remain away from her parents, friends, cell phone and, not to forget, chocolates for almost a year.

But the ‘iron lady’ from Manipur, a state known for producing tough, champion athletes, fulfilled her promise in grand style this week, clinching a historic gold at the Worlds, defeating the Thai favourite Sukcharoen Thunya in a nerve-racking final.

The feat meant Mirabai ended India’s 22-year drought for a medal at the Worlds, and what better way than the gold to achieve it.

“Now I can proudly apply for the Arjuna award. I don’t see any reason for the ministry to decline me the honour. When I did not get the honour in 2015 after my Glasgow silver, I felt bad. But I chose to move on. Now, with the gold at the Worlds, I strongly believe that I stand a great chance to get it next year from the President (of India). After the Olympics, a medal at the Worlds carries the highest points. If I don’t get it this time, I would definitely ask the ministry what else I need to do to prove myself. Everyone in my village is waiting to see me as ‘Arjuna awardee Mirabai Chanu’,” Mirabai told TOI.

“My ultimate target is to win gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and I know that I am going to achieve that.”