It is official now. Odisha para-badminton star Pramod Bhagat will get the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year, while hockey Olympian Birendra Lakra and Amit Rohidas will be conferred with the Arjuna Award. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India officially announced the National Sports Awards 2021 today.
The Ministry finalized the list of awardees, which had been recommended by the Selection Committee, after adding or omitting a few names. In case of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest of the country, the Selection Committee had recormmended 11 names. But the Ministry made it 12, adding that of Indian men hockey team captain Manpreet Singh. But list of 35 names, recommended for Arjuna Award was kept unchanged.
The Selection Committee was headed by Justice (Retd) Mukundakam Sharma (former Judge of Supreme Court) and consisted members from eminent sportspersons, persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrator etc.
President of India will confer the awards at a specially organized function at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on 13 November, 2021 (Saturday) at 16.30 hrs.
National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of previous four years.
Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games is given for good performance over a period of previous four years and showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and enabling sportspersons to excel in international events.
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games is given to honour sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports event after their retirement.
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar is given to corporate entities (both in private and public sector), sports control boards, NGOs including sports bodies at the State and National level who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development. Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
LIST OF AWARDEES:
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (12): Neeraj Chopra (Athletics), Ravi Kumar (Wrestling), Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing), Sreejesh PR, Manpreet Singh (both Hockey); Avani Lekhara (Para Shooting), Sumit Antil (Para Athletics), Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar (both Para Badminton); Manish Narwal (Para Shooting), Mithali Raj (Cricket), Sunil Chhetri (Football).
Arjuna Award (35): Arpinder Singh (Athletics), Simranjit Kaur (Boxing), Shikhar Dhawan (Cricket), Bhavani Devi Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman (Fencing), Monika, Vandana Katariya, Dilpreet Singh, Harman Preet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Birendra Lakra, Sumit, Nilakanta Sharma, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Gurjant Singh, Mandeep Singh, Shamsher Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Varun Kumar, Simranjeet Singh (all Hockey), Sandeep Narwal (Kabaddi), Himani Uttam Parab (Mallakhamb), Abhishek Verma (Shooting), Ankita Raina (Tennis), Deepak Punia (Wrestling); Yogesh Kathuniya, Nishad Kumar, Praveen Kumar, Sharad Kumar (all Para Athletics); Suhash Yathiraj (Para Badminton), Singhraj Adhana (Para Shooting), Bhavina Patel (Para Table Tennis), Harvinder Singh (Para Archery).
Dronacharya Award (10):
Life-Time Category (5): T P Ouseph (Athletics), Sarkar Talwar (Cricket), Sarpal Singh (Hockey), Ashan Kumar (Kabaddi), Tapan Kumar Panigrahi (Swimming).
Regular Category (5): Radhakrishnan Nair P (Athletics), Sandhya Gurung (Boxing), Pritam Siwach (Hockey), Jai Prakash Nautiyal (Para Shooting), Subramanian Raman (Table Tennis).
Dhyan Chand Award (5): Lekha KC (Boxing), Abhijeet Kunte (Chess), Davinder Singh Garcha (Hockey), Vikas Kumar (Kabaddi), Sajjan Singh (Wrestling).
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar (2): Manav Rachna Educational Institution for Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent. Indian Oil Corporation Limited for Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (1): Panjab University, Chandigarh