Sports Awards and Honors in India

India honours its top sportspersons, coaches, institutions, and corporate entities through the National Sports Awards presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. These awards recognize international competitive excellence, lifetime dedication to physical culture, and grassroots sports development. Presented by the President of India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on National Sports Day, August 29, the honours reflect the state’s institutional framework for encouraging sportsmanship and athletic performance.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honour in the Republic of India. Instituted in the financial year 1991–92, the award was formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award before being renamed in August 2021 to honour hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

Scheme Guidelines and Eligibility

• The award recognizes spectacular performance by a sportsperson in international competitions over a period of four years immediately preceding the award year.
• It carries a cash prize of ₹25 lakh, a medallion, and a certificate of honour.
• Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand was the first recipient of the award in 1991–92.
• Shooter Abhinav Bindra became the youngest recipient of the award in 2001 at 18 years of age.

Arjuna Award

Instituted in 1961, the Arjuna Award is India’s oldest national sports award given for consistent performance at the international level.

Key Features and Eligibility

• The award honors sportspersons who demonstrate good performance over the preceding four years alongside qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
• It includes a cash prize of ₹15 lakh, a bronze statuette of Arjuna, ceremonial dress, and a scroll.
• The scheme covers disciplines in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports.

Dronacharya Award for Coaches

Instituted in 1985, the Dronacharya Award recognizes coaches who successfully train athletes or teams to achieve distinction in international competitions.

Categories and Cash Prizes

• Regular Category: Given for outstanding coaching performance over the preceding four years, carrying a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, and a certificate.
• Lifetime Category: Awarded to coaches who have contributed to producing outstanding sportspersons over a period of 20 years or more, carrying a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
• The first recipients of the award in 1985 were O.M. Nambiar (Athletics), Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing), and Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat (Wrestling).

Lifetime and Institutional Sports Awards

Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement

• Instituted in 2002, this award honors sportspersons who have contributed to sports through their performance during their active career and continue to contribute after retirement.
• It includes a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, a statuette of Major Dhyan Chand, ceremonial dress, and a scroll.
• The inaugural recipients in 2002 were Shahuraj Birajdar (Boxing), Ashok Diwan (Hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (Basketball).

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

• Instituted in 2009, this award recognizes the role played by corporate entities, Sports Control Boards, and Non-Governmental Organizations in sports promotion and development.
• The award scheme evaluates contributions over the preceding three years across four categories: identification and nurturing of budding talent, encouragement through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), employment of sportspersons, and sports for development.
• Winners receive a trophy and a certificate without any monetary cash prize.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy

• Instituted in 1956–57, the MAKA Trophy is the oldest running trophy awarded in Indian sports.
• It is presented annually to the university demonstrating top overall performance in inter-university tournaments and designated national university games.
• The winning university receives a running trophy along with a cash award of ₹15 lakh for purchasing sports equipment.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

The Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award serves as the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in field adventure sports on land, sea, and air.

Categories and Scope

• Instituted in 1994, it was formally brought under the umbrella of National Sports Awards presented at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2004.
• It is awarded across four categories: Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure, and Life Time Achievement.
• Recipients receive a statuette, a certificate, and a cash prize equivalent to the Arjuna Award (₹15 lakh).

Institutional Framework and National Sports Day

Presentation and Administrative Setup

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports invites nominations through an online portal and appoints selection committees chaired by retired Supreme Court or High Court judges.
• The awards are presented annually on August 29 to mark National Sports Day, celebrating the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.
• Selection criteria place weighted emphasis on medals won in Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, World Championships, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games.

National Sports Awards Overview

Essential Facts and Key Trivia

• National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29 every year to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award cash prize was enhanced from ₹7.5 lakh to ₹25 lakh during the 2020 revision.
• Arjuna Award cash prize was revised from ₹5 lakh to ₹15 lakh in the 2020 award rules overhaul.
• Karnam Malleswari was the first Indian woman sportsperson to receive the Khel Ratna Award in 1994–95.
• The Khel Ratna Award can be jointly conferred on multiple athletes in an Olympic or Paralympic year based on exceptional performances.
• In 2020, five sportspersons received the Khel Ratna Award in a single year for the first time in history.
• Corporate Social Responsibility funds for sports promotion were integrated into Schedule VII of the Companies Act 2013, supporting eligibility for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.
• Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, has won the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy the maximum number of times since its inception.
• Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is named after Tenzing Norgay, who summited Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary in 1953.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports launched a centralized portal to process self-applications and nominations online for all national sports awards.