New Delhi: Hockey player Mukesh Kumar on Thursday said the Padma Shri award which he received was a recognition to the entire hockey fraternity of the country.

"This is a great honour. But it is not just a recognition of what I have done, it is rather a recognition to the game and all the players playing for the country," he said after receiving the award from President A P J Abdul Kalam at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Mukesh Kumar, who has played in 327 internationals in a career spanning 13 years, said such awards would definitely boost the game, which unlike cricket and tennis, was "not a professional sport in this country".

"More than anything else we only play for the country and this award will definitely go a long way in motivating the younger players come forward and take up the game."

The 34-year old former captain, who has represented the country in three Olympics and two World Cups, said he was disappointed that India pulled out of the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia.

"I am a bit disappointed. I had come back in to the side after a gap of one year and we all were charged up to do well in the tournament, particularly against Pakistan. But still it was the government's decision and we should honour it."

India pulled out of the six-nation tournament at Ipoh protesting the ill-treatment meted out to its IT professionals in Malaysia last month. Had India participated, it would have been Mukesh Kumar's first tournament since coming out of an injury he suffered during a training session with the junior World Cup team last year.

PTI