Sports Awards and Honours in India

India honours its exceptional sporting talents, coaches, and institutions through National Sports Awards presented annually by the President of India on National Sports Day, August 29. This day marks the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports administers these accolades to acknowledge international excellence, lifetime contributions, grassroots development, and sports promotion across the country.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

Origin and Evolution

Instituted in 1991–92, this is the highest sporting honour in India. Formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the government renamed it in August 2021 to honour field hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.

Criteria and Cash Prize

The award recognizes spectacular and most outstanding performance by a sportsperson in international events over a four-year period. Recipients receive a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh.

Key Firsts

Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand became the inaugural recipient in 1991–92. Weightlifter Karnam Malleswari was the first female recipient in 1994–95. Shooter Abhinav Bindra remains the youngest winner, receiving the award in 2001 at 18 years of age.

Arjuna Award

Structure and Objective

Instituted in 1961, the Arjuna Award was India’s highest sporting honour before the creation of the Khel Ratna. It rewards consistent performance at the international level over a four-year period, combined with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.

Reward Details

Awardees receive a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

Eligibility Guidelines

Under current rules, a Khel Ratna winner cannot be nominated for an Arjuna Award. However, an Arjuna Award recipient remains eligible for nomination to the Khel Ratna later.

Dronacharya Award

Overview and Scope

Instituted in 1985, this award honours coaches who produce medal winners at elite international competitions. It covers both recent accomplishments and long-term contributions to coaching.

Categories and Rewards

The award operates in two categories:

• Regular Category: Includes a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
• Lifetime Category: Includes a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

Key Firsts

Wrestling coach Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat, boxing mentor Om Prakash Bharadwaj, and athletics coach O.M. Nambiar were the inaugural winners in 1985. Athletics coach Renu Kohli became the first female recipient in 2002.

Arjuna Award Lifetime

History and Purpose

Constituted in 2002, this award was originally called the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games. In 2024, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports renamed it as the Arjuna Award Lifetime to streamline national sporting honours.

Criteria and Reward

It recognizes athletes who contribute to sports promotion in their individual capacity during and after their active sporting careers. Winners receive a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh, a statuette, and ceremonial dress.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

Objective and Target Groups

Instituted in 2009, this award recognizes corporate entities, sports control boards, NGOs, and sports bodies playing a role in sports promotion and development.

Categories

The ministry awards entities across two primary streams:

• Identification and nurturing of young and budding talent.
• Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Reward Details

Recipients receive a citation and a trophy. No cash prize is associated with this award.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy

Origin and Scope

Instituted in 1956–57, the MAKA Trophy is the oldest national sports award in India. Named after India’s first education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, it honors top overall performance in inter-university tournaments over the preceding year.

Financial Distribution

The winning university receives a rolling trophy and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh. The second and third-place universities receive cash prizes of Rs 7.5 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh respectively. Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar holds the record for most wins.

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

Background and Domains

Instituted in 1994, this is the highest national recognition for outstanding achievements in field adventure. Named after Tenzing Norgay, one of the first two individuals to reach the summit of Mount Everest, it is equivalent to the Arjuna Award in adventure disciplines.

Categories and Rewards

The award is given across four distinct streams:

• Land Adventure
• Water Adventure
• Air Adventure
• Life Time Achievement

Awardees receive a statue, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

Overview of National Sports Awards

Key Facts and Trivia

• National Sports Day on August 29 celebrates the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand, who won three Olympic gold medals in field hockey (1928, 1932, 1936).
• Indian football Olympian P.K. Banerjee was among the recipients of the Arjuna Award in its inaugural 1961 edition.
• Hockey player Anna Lumsden was the first woman to receive the Arjuna Award in 1961.
• The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna cash prize was revised from Rs 7.5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh in 2020.
• The Arjuna Award cash prize was revised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh in 2020.
• Shahuraj Birajdar (boxing), Ashok Diwan (hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (basketball) were the first recipients of the lifetime achievement award in 2002.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports sets up selection committees headed by retired Supreme Court or High Court judges to select the final awardees.
• Cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar (1997–98), MS Dhoni (2007), Virat Kohli (2018), and Rohit Sharma (2020) have all won the Khel Ratna Award.