National Sports Awards and Honours in India

The National Sports Awards recognize excellence, lifetime contribution, coaching achievements, and institutional sports promotion across India. Awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, these honours are presented by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on August 29, which is celebrated as National Sports Day to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The core structure comprises six major awards along with associated adventure honours, each serving a distinct role in elevating sports culture from university levels to international arenas.

Overview of Key National Sports Awards

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

• Highest sporting honour in India, instituted in 1991–92.
• Formerly named the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, rechristened on August 6, 2021.
• Granted for the most outstanding performance by a sportsperson at the international level over a four-year period.
• Includes a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.
• First recipient was Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand in 1991–92.
• Shooter Abhinav Bindra became the youngest recipient at age 18 in 2001.
• Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari was the first Indian woman recipient in 1994–95.

Arjuna Award

• Instituted in 1961 to recognize consistent performance over four years at the international level.
• Requires candidates to display qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
• Includes a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
• Footballer P.K. Banerjee was among the inaugural 20 recipients in 1961.
• Anna Lumsden (hockey) was the first woman recipient.
• Current regulations state that an Arjuna Award winner can later receive the Khel Ratna, but a Khel Ratna winner cannot subsequently receive the Arjuna Award.

Dronacharya Award

• Instituted in 1985 to honour coaches who train athletes to achieve medals at elite international competitions.
• Named after Guru Dronacharya from the epic Mahabharata.
• Granted in two categories: Regular (for achievements over four years) and Lifetime (for long-term contributions over 20 years or more).
• Includes a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and cash prizes of ₹10 lakh (Regular) and ₹15 lakh (Lifetime).
• Inaugural recipients in 1985 were Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat (wrestling), Om Prakash Bharadwaj (boxing), and O.M. Nambiar (athletics).

Arjuna Award Lifetime (Formerly Dhyan Chand Award)

• Constituted in 2002 to honour sportspersons for lifetime achievements and contributions to sports development after retirement.
• Originally named the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement, it was renamed Arjuna Award Lifetime in 2024 to streamline awards.
• Carries a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.
• Shahuraj Birajdar (boxing), Ashok Diwan (hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (basketball) were its first awardees in 2002.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy

• Oldest among national sports honours, instituted in 1956–57.
• A running trophy awarded to top-performing universities in inter-university tournaments over the previous year.
• Accompanied by cash incentives for university sports infrastructure development.
• Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, rank among the most frequent winners.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

• Instituted in 2009 to recognize corporate entities (public and private), sports control boards, NGOs, and individuals playing a role in sports promotion.
• Evaluated across categories such as identification and nurturing of young talent and encouragement to sports through corporate social responsibility.
• Awardees receive a trophy and a citation.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

• Instituted to recognize achievements in land, air, and water adventure sports, alongside lifetime achievement.
• Awarded alongside National Sports Awards since 2004, serving as the equivalent of a national sports honour for adventure activities.
• Includes a bronze statue, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.

Comparison of Primary National Sports Awards

Selection Process and Administration

Governance and Nominations

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports administers the selection process annually.
• Nominations are invited from National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India, and state governments.
• Self-nomination is permitted under specific conditions if candidates meet benchmark criteria.

Selection Committees

• The Ministry constitutes national selection committees headed by retired Supreme Court or High Court judges.
• Committees include eminent sportspersons, sports journalists, and sports administrators.
• Recommendations undergo final approval by the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports before presidential conferment.

Important Facts

• National Sports Day is celebrated every year on August 29 to mark the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.
• The President of India confers these awards at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• Viswanathan Anand was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna Award in 1991–92.
• Abhinav Bindra remains the youngest recipient of the Khel Ratna Award, winning it at age 18 in 2001.
• Karnam Malleswari became the first woman to receive the Khel Ratna Award in 1994–95.
• The Khel Ratna cash prize was raised from ₹7.5 lakh to ₹25 lakh in 2020.
• The Arjuna Award cash prize was increased from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh in 2020.
• The MAKA Trophy is the oldest among all national sports awards, established in 1956–57.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna was previously known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award until August 2021.
• The Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement was renamed the Arjuna Award Lifetime in 2024.