On Tuesday morning, Harmanpreet Kaur was perturbed on two counts. One, her parents wouldn’t be in the audience at Rashtrapati Bhawan when, later in the evening, she would be honoured with the Arjuna Award. 

Second, the thought of draping herself in a six-yard fabric for the official function made the country’s favourite cricketer and World Cup star’s head spin. “There was curfew in Moga so my parents haven’t been able to make it. I didn’t want them to take the risk. They were very excited to travel, had even got new clothes stitched. I will miss them,” she said regretting how godman Gurmeet Singh’s trial, and the related violence, ruined what could have been her most memorable family outing.

With her mother, Satvinder Kaur, not with her at the hotel, Harman dreaded the moment when she would have to switch from her favourite jeans and t-shirt to the shining maroon sari. 

Though, things did fall in place. Harman’s fellow awardee, basketballer Prashanti Singh’s mother would have her hands full helping two sporty girls get ready for the formal evening when the country’s best sportspersons were being honoured.

Harmanpreet was alone at the hotel as the other awardees, accompanied by family and close friends, were posing for pictures on this red-letter day. At the lobby, before heading out for the awards function, parents were leaving nothing to chance. Even a strand of hair which was out of place was pasted back before phone cameras were switched on.