National Sports Day: All you need to know about the National Sports Awards

The athletes and sportspersons who have performed extraordinarily well in their field of sports are awarded and felicitated by the Indian government every year. These awards serve the necessary purpose of boosting a player’s morale so that one strives to perform even better in the upcoming tournaments. Since 2001, the awards are presented only in those events which fall under the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships or the World Cup including cricket. Besides, the awards are given for the national level competitions and sports meant for the disabled. The awards are presented to the players every year at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on National Sports Day celebrated on August 29, which incidentally happens to be the birth date of the Indian hockey legend Dhyanchand. The reputed sports awards in India are Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Dronacharya Award, Arjuna Award, and Dhyan Chand Award. 

Also read: List of all recommendation for Khel Ratna, Arjuna awards 2020

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

As the name denotes, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is conferred in the memory of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It is the highest-ranked national sports award in India. Meaning ‘sports gem’, this award is presented to the players who have performed exceptionally well in sports disciplines. The Khel Ratna was first awarded in the year 1991-92 to Indian chess grandmaster Vishwanathan Anand. The award carries a medal, a significant sum of cash prize of Rs. 750,000 and a scroll of honour. The recent most awardees of this award are P V Sindhu, Sakshi Mallik, Dipa Karmakar, and Jitu Rai.  

Dronacharya Award

Instituted in the year 1985, the Dronacharya award is presented to honour and recognise eminent instructors and coaches who have delivered excellence in the field of coaching and teaching of sports. The award includes a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a bronze figurine of Dronacharya, a ceremonial dress, and a scroll of honour. With the best sportsperson being awarded the Arjuna, the Dronacharya, Arjuna’s Guru, is presented to the best coach of the year. The award is presented to only those coaches who have produced superlative results at both domestic and international levels for at least three consecutive years. 

Arjuna Award

The oldest national sports award in India, the Arjuna award was instituted in the year 1961. Dedicated to sports personalities for their excellence in sports, the award is the second most prestigious award after Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. The award holds a reputable cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a statue of Arjuna made of bronze, and a scroll. According to the revised format of the award, a sportsperson must have performed excellently for the previous three years in order to be eligible for his nomination, besides good leadership qualities, sportsmanship spirit, and a true sense of discipline. A total of six players were presented with this award in the year 1961, with Saleem Durani being the first cricketer to be conferred with the award. About 25 sportspersons were conferred with the Arjuna award in the year 2012.

Dhyan Chand Award

The highest lifetime achievement award in the field of sports and games in India, the Dhyan Chand award was instituted in the year 2002. The award bears a handsome cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a ceremonial dress, a figurine, and a scroll of honour. Renamed after the renowned Indian hockey maestro Dhyan Chand, the award is presented to those who have produced commanding performances in their field of sports. It is also conferred to individuals or the NGOs who have played a role in the positive growth of sports in the country. The first three awardees of the Dhyan Chand award are Aparna Ghosh in the field of basketball, Ashok Diwan and Shahuraj Birajjdar in the fields of hockey and boxing. The recent awardees include Zeeshan Ali, Gurmail Singh and KP Thakkar. 

It is a dream of every sportsperson in India to meet the highest recognition through these awards. The Sports Ministry undertakes the felicitation of the players every year who have performed extraordinarily well in their field of sport. This year around too, though the tradition remains the same, the list is added with a few ‘firsts’. As we gear up for the special awards ceremony in honour of the sporting heroes of India tomorrow, we certainly look forward to the celebration of the spirit of sportsmanship and propagating the message of various sports.