India has six sports awards at the national level: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Arjuna Award, Major Dhyan Chand Award, Dronacharya Award, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy and National Khel Protsahan Award.

They are given to sportspersons, support staff or organizations for their achievements and contribution to Indian sports. All these awards are given annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and are usually presented by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 29 August.

In addition to the six National Sports Awards described below, the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is given since 2004 along with other sports awards.

List of Sports Awards in India

Here are the six National Sports Awards of India:

1. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, formerly known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, is the highest award given to a sportsperson in India and was instituted in the year 1991–1992.

It is given for the “most outstanding performance by a player” over a period of the last four years.It comprises a medal, a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh.

Khel Ratna Award is India’s highest sports honour. It is awarded to those who are selected at the international level by a committee constituted by the Ministry for “the most outstanding and most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years”. Formerly known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games, the award was renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021 after one of India’s all-time great hockey players, Dhyan Chand. Was placed. He scored over 1000 goals in a career spanning over 20 years.

The first player to win this National Sports Award was Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand in the year 1991-92. In 2001, an 18-year-old Abhinav Bindra became the youngest recipient of the award for consistently delivering good performance.

Twelve players including Neeraj Chopra (athletics), Mithali Raj (cricket), Sunil Chhetri (football) and Manpreet Singh (hockey) received the award last year. As of 2021, 57 sportspersons from fifteen sports disciplines have been awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.

2. Arjuna Award

The Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in national sporting events.

The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, a bronze statue of Arjuna and a certificate of honor.

The Arjuna Award, officially known as the Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in sports and games, is India’s second highest sporting honour. Established in 1961, the award has undergone several amendments over the years. As per the latest amendment in 2018, the Arjuna Award is given to subjects falling under categories like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship, World Cup, Indigenous Games, Parasports and Cricket.

The recipients are selected by a committee constituted by the ministry. The recipients are awarded internationally for “good performance in the field of sports over a period of four years”. As of 2020, the award, named after one of the characters from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, includes a bronze statue of Arjuna, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

A total of 20 sportspersons were awarded the Arjuna Award in 1961. It includes boxer PK Banerjee and cricketer Salim Durani. Shikhar Dhawan (cricket), Simranjit Kaur (boxing), Varun Kumar (hockey) and Ankita Raina (tennis) received the award in 2021.

3. Dronacharya Award

The Dronacharya Award was instituted in 1985 by the Government of India to recognize excellence in sports coaching.

The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, a bronze statue of Dronacharya and a scroll of honour.

Dronacharya Award, officially known as Known as the Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games, it is presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to persons who have “done outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and enable sportspersons to excel in international competitions”. have been able to do.” over a period of four years. Named after Drona, a character from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, the award includes a bronze statue of Dronacharya, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

Established in 1985, the award is given only to disciplines involved in events such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup as well as cricket, indigenous sports and parasports.

In 2021, the list of Dronacharya awardees included nine people. Mr. T.P. Ossef, who has coached several national level athletes, was one of the recipients.

4. Major Dhyan Chand Award

The Dhyan Chand Award was instituted in the year 2002 and consists of a Dhyan Chand statue, a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a certificate and a ceremonial dress.

It is awarded to individuals for “lifelong contribution to sports development” – sportspersons who have contributed to other sports and games through their performance, and in their promotion for the sport even after retirement from an active sporting career. continue to contribute. Huh.

The Dhyan Chand Award, officially known as the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, is almost identical in name to the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. Named after Dhyan Chand, the award was instituted in 2002 to honor sportspersons for their contribution to the sport during their career and after retirement. The Dhyan Chand Award, presented annually by the Government of India, consists of a statue of Dhyan Chand, a certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

Dhyan Chand Award is given only to subjects involved in events like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Cricket and Parasports. The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports decides the recipients from the list of nominations. Shahuraj Birajdar (boxing), Ashok Dewan (hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (basketball) were the first three athletes to win the award in 2002.

5. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy was established in the year 1956-1957.

This award is for university level sports performance. It is given to a university for its “top performance in an inter-university tournament” over a period of one year.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy, named after Abul Kalam Azad, a senior leader of the Indian independence movement, presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for “the overall top performing university in sports and promotion of competitive sports in the university”. She goes. last year. The university securing the first position is given a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh. The universities ranked second and third get a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh respectively. In 2021, Panjab University got the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for the third consecutive year. Bombay University was the first recipient of the rolling MAKA Trophy in 1957, while the Guru Nanak Dev University of Amritsar has won it the most times (22).

6. National Sports Promotion Award

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar was instituted in the year 2009.

The award is given to individuals, both private or public organizations, for having “played a visible role in the field of promotion and development of sports” over a period of the last three years.

The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, which translates to ‘National Khel Protsahan Puraskar’ in English, recognizes the “participation of corporates, voluntary organizations and sports control boards in the promotion and development of sports in the country” over the past three years. Awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar was first introduced in 2009. Organizations are awarded in four categories – identification and nurturing of budding and young talent, promotion of sports through Corporate Social Responsibility, sportspersons’ employment and sports welfare measures, and sports for development. The award consists of a citation and a trophy in all categories.

A total of 48 such awards have been given over the years. Manav Rachna Educational Institutions won the award in 2021 for identifying and nurturing sports talent over the last 25 years.