The President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee felicitated Major Dr. Surendra Poonia, VSM at Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 6, 2012 for winning seven medals (two Gold Medals and five Silver Medals) at 33rd World Medical and Health Games held in Antalya, Turkey from July 7 to 15, 2012.

Major Poonia won two gold medals in Powerlifting and 800 meters race and five Silver medals in 400 meters race, 1500 meters race, 5000 meters race, cross country race and Pentathlon.

Major Surendra Poonia is serving as the Medical Officer of President's Bodyguard. This is the third time that Major Poonia has won medals at this international Championship. Last year Major Surendra Poonia participated in world championship in Las Palmas, Spain and won two gold, two silver and one bronze medals. More than 2300 athletes from 47 countries participated in 22 Olympic sports at Antalya, Turkey.

This year Major Poonia was awarded by 'Vishisht Seva Medal' by the President of India for his outstanding performance in sports for year 2011. He is also a qualified paratrooper (123 jumps) and has served in Para Special forces earlier in J&K and in Jodhpur.

Major Poonia belongs to a small village Rajpura in Sikar district of Rajasthan. He studied in Jawahar Navodaya Vidhayalay Patan in Sikar and later went to Armed Forces Medical College Pune for an MBBS degree.