Punjab's junior basketball player Gagandeep Kaur felicitated with the unusual title "Player of India"

Gagandeep Kaur is a rising young star in Indian basketball. The teenager from Amritsar, Punjab has already represented India's junior and youth teams in various international basketball tournaments, including most recently at the 3rd FIBA Asia U16 Championship for Women in Colombo (Sri Lanka) last year, where India finished at fifth place. Domestically, Gagandeep has already played in nine national and 12 state tournaments.

Gagandeep Kaur (# 8) celebrates India's win
over Malaysia at 3rd FIBA Asia U16
Championship for Women at Colombo

And now, thanks to the Punjab government, she is also something called the "Player of India" (via Times of India).

On Monday, Punjab's Education Minister Daljit Singh Cheema and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderjit Singh Bolaria felicitated Gagandeep with this unusual title at a ceremony in Amritsar. Gagandeep was accompanied by her mother at the ceremony as well as the principal of Government Girls School where she studies. The young player was also handed a cash award of Rs. 2 Lakhs.

Congratulations to Gagandeep Kaur for this mighty-sounding honour and I wish her the best so that one day, she can truly become one of the best basketball players in the country.

(For now, can someone explain to this ignorant blogger what a "Player of India" actually is? Thanks in advance).