Top-performing athletes were recently bestowed with the prestigious National Sports Awards 2023.
- The ceremony was delayed due to the Hangzhou Asian Games.
About the National Sports Awards:
- The National Sports Awards is an annual award that recognizes excellence in sports and encourages sportsmanship and fosters national pride.
- It was administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
- Categories: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award; Arjuna Award; Dronacharya Award
- Major Dhyan Chand Award; Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (MAKA) and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
- Awardees receive honours from the President of India, after a Selection Committee decides the awardees based on applications received.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award:
- India’s highest sporting honour awarded for outstanding performances over 4 years.
- It was established in 1991-92.
- It was named after hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
- Notable awardees include Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, and Virat Kohli.
- Abhinav Bindra, the youngest recipient at 18, won the award in 2001.
Arjuna Award:
- It recognizes consistent good performance over four years.
- Instituted in 1961, it was named after the Mahabharata’s Arjuna.
- It was India’s highest sporting honour before the Khel Ratna came into being.
- PK Banerjee, India’s football Olympian, received the inaugural award.
- First woman awardee: hockey player Anna Lumsden.
Dronacharya Award:
- India’s highest sports honor for coaches which recognizes coaches producing medal winners at international events.
- It was instituted in 1985.
- It was named after the legendary teacher Dronacharya from the Mahabharata.
- It acknowledges both recent accomplishments and lifetime contributions.
- First woman awardee: athletics coach Renu Kohli in 2002.
Major Dhyan Chand Award:
- It honours lifetime achievements in sports and are awarded for good performance and contribution to sports promotion.
- It wasestablished in 2002.
- Awardees receive a Dhyan Chand statuette, certificate, and cash prize.
- First awardees include Olympian boxer Shahuraj Birajdar.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (MAKA):
- It is the oldest National Sports Award, awarded to institutions or universities for top performance in inter-university tournaments.
- It wasinstituted in 1956-57.
- First recipient: Bombay University in 1956-57 for promoting competitive sports.
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar:
- It recognizes organizations and individuals contributing to sports promotion.
- Categories include talent identification, CSR in sports, employment of sportspersons, and sports for development.
- Multiple winners possible in each category.
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award:
- It acknowledges achievements in adventure sports.
- It was instituted in 1993-94.
- Includes categories like land adventure and lifetime achievement.
- Recent awardees (2020) include Indian Army’s Lieutenants Colonel Servesh Dhadwal and Colonel Amit Bisht.
About the National Sports Awards 2023:
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023:
- Badminton players Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for their exceptional performance in 2023.
Arjuna Awards 2023:
- 26 athletes and para-athletes were honored with the Arjuna Awards.
- Wrestling– Antim Panghal; Boxing– Mohammad Hussamuddin; Athletics- Murali Sreeshankar and Parul Chaudhary; Equestrian- Anush Agarwalla and Divyakriti Singh; Golf– Diksha Dagar.
Dronacharya Awardees:
- Regular Category: Lalit Kumar (wrestling), R.B. Ramesh (chess), Mahaveer Prasad Saini (para-athletics), Shivendra Singh (hockey), Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar (mallakhamb).
- Lifetime Category: Jaskirat Singh Grewal (golf), Bhaskaran E (kabaddi), Jayanta Kumar Pushilal (table tennis).
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement 2023:
- Badminton, hockey, and kabaddi players Manjusha Kanwar, Vineet Kumar Sharma, and Kavitha Selvaraj respectively were honored.
Ref: Source
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