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National Sports Awards in Athletics
Various civilian awards for contributions to Sports (Individual/Team)
Long jumper Anju Bobby George receives the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2004
Awarded for	Various sports honour of India
Sponsored by	Government of India
Location	Rashtrapati Bhavan
Country	Republic of India
Presented by	President of India
First awarded	1961
Last awarded	2022
Highlights
Total awarded	141
Awards	Arjuna Award Dronacharya Award Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Dhyan Chand Award

The National Sports Awards is the collective name given to the six sports awards of Republic of India. These are awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. They are presented by the President of India in the same ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually on 29 August each year, along with the national adventure award. As of 2020, a total of 133 individuals have been awarded the various National Sports Awards in athletics. The four awards presented in athletics are the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award, and Dronacharya Award.

First presented in the year 1961, the Arjuna Award in athletics has been given to a total of 94 individuals for their "good performance at the international level" over the period of the previous four years, with four individuals being awarded for their lifetime contribution. First presented in the year 1985, the Dronacharya Award has been presented to a total of 24 coaches in athletics for their "outstanding work on a consistent basis and enabling sportspersons to excel in international events" over the period of last four years, with seven coaches being awarded in the lifetime contribution category. First presented in the year 1998–1999, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of India, has been given to a total of three sportspersons in athletics for their "most outstanding performance at the international level" over the period of last four years. The Dhyan Chand Award, the lifetime achievement sporting honour of India first presented in the year 2004 has been given to a total of 12 retired sportspersons in athletics for their "good performance at the international level and their continued contributions to the promotion of sports even after their career as a sportsperson is over". One awardee, R. Gandhi, was posthumously honoured with the Dronacharya Award in the year 2017.

Recipients

As of 2020, three sportspersons in athletics have been awarded the highest sporting award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. The first recipient was Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, a former middle distance runner who won a gold medal in 800 metres at the 1995 Asian Athletics Championships, a bronze medal in 1500 metres at the 1998 Asian Athletics Championships, and a gold medal in both the 800 metres and 1500 metres at the 1998 Asian Games held at Bangkok. She was presented with the Arjuna Award in the year 1995 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in the year 1998–1999. Sikdar was subsequently conferred with India's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in the year 2003. She later became a politician, serving as the member of parliament representing Communist Party of India (Marxist) from the Krishnagar constituency in the 14th Lok Sabha.

The second recipient, K. M. Beenamol, came to the national limelight after qualifying for the semi finals of the women's 400 metres race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She won gold medals in both the women's 800 metres and the 4 × 400 metres women's relay in the 2002 Asian Games held at Busan, South Korea. She was presented with the Arjuna Award in the year 2000, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in the year 2002, and the Padma Shri in the year 2004.

The third recipient, Anju Bobby George, a long jumper, is India's first and only World Champion at the IAAF World Athletics Final. In 2003, she became the first Indian athlete ever to win a medal in World Athletics Championships, winning bronze. She secured fifth place in the women's long jump in the 2004 Summer Olympics held at Athens. She was presented with the Arjuna Award in the year 2002, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in the year 2003, and the Padma Shri in the year 2004.

References

1. ^ "List of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees (1991–2018)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "List of Arjuna Awardees (1961–2018)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "List of Dhyanchand Awardees (2002–2018)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "List of Dronacharya Awardees (1985–2018)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "National Sports Awards – 2019 announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 20 August 2019. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "National Sports Awards – 2020 announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 21 August 2020. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
   • "National Sports Awards 2021 announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
   • "Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2022" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
2. "Revised Scheme of Arjuna Award" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India). 7 September 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
3. "Scheme for Dronacharya Award For Outstanding Coaches In Sports And Games (Amended as on 3 February 2016)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 3 February 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
4. "Scheme for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 23 February 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 September 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
5. "Scheme for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games (Amended as on 3 February 2016)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 3 February 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
6. ^ "Padma Awards Directory (1954–2014)" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs (India). 21 May 2014. pp. 134–137. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
7. "West Bengal: Ex-CPM MP Jyotirmoyee Sikdar joins BJP". The Week. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
8. "She's been at it". The Hindu. 16 May 2002. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
9. Dutta, Subhayan. "PR Sreejesh dream supercharged after encounter with Kerala athlete KM Beenamol". Olympic Channel. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
10. "Event Report Women Long Jump Final". World Athletics. Archived from the original on 9 August 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
11. "IAAF ratifies Anju's top finish in 2005 World Athletics Final". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 1 April 2014. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.

External links

• Official Website

v t e National Sports Awards
Awards	Sports Arjuna Award Dhyan Chand Award Dronacharya Award Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy Khel Ratna Award Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar Others Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (presented together)
Recipients	By year Arjuna Arjuna (1961–1969) Arjuna (1970–1979) Arjuna (1980–1989) Arjuna (1990–1999) Arjuna (2000–2009) Arjuna (2010–2019) Arjuna (2020–2029) Others Dhyan Chand Dronacharya Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy Khel Ratna Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar By sport Olympic Archery Athletics Badminton Basketball Boxing Cycling Equestrian Fencing Football Golf Gymnastics Hockey Judo Lawn Tennis Rowing Shooting Swimming Table Tennis Volleyball Weightlifting Winter Sports Wrestling Non-Olympic Adventure Sports Ball Badminton Billiards & Snooker Bodybuilding Carrom Chess Cricket Kabaddi Kho Kho Lawn Bowls Mallakhamb Motor Sports Mountaineering Polo Powerlifting Roller Skating Squash Wushu Yachting Others Parasports Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

• Indian sports trophies and awards
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports