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 utstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over the period of the previous four years.

Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games is given for good performance over a period of the previous four years and for showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.

Dronacharya Award for Outstanding coaches is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel in International events.

Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement is given to honour sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and who 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.

The overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy. This year, for the first time, applications were invited only online and sportspersons/ coaches/ entities were permitted to self-apply through a dedicated portal.

Nominations were considered by the Selection Committee headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar, Retd Judge, Supreme Court of India and consisting members from eminent sportspersons, persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrators.

LIST OF NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS 2022 AND SELECTED AWARDEES:

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Achanta Sharath Kamal (Table tennis).
Arjuna Awards: Seema Punia, Eldhose Paul, Avinash Mukund Sable (all Athletics); Lakshya Sen, Prannoy HS (both Badminton); Amit, Nikhat Zareen (both Boxing); Bhakti Kulkarni, R Praggnanandhaa (both Chess); Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey); Shushila Devi  (Judo); Sakshi Kumari (Kabaddi); Nayan Moni Saikia (Lawn Bowl); Sagar Kailas Ovhalkar (Mallakhamb); Elavenil Valarivan, Omprakash Mitharval (both Shooting); Sreeja Akula (Table Tennis); Vikas Thakur (Weightlifting); Anshu, Sarita (both Wrestling); Parveen (Wushu); Manasi Girishchandra Joshi, Tarun Dhillon (both Para Badminton); Swapnil Sanjay Patil (Para Swimming); Jerlin Anika J (Deaf Badminton).
Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches: Regular Category: Jiwanjot Singh Teja (Archery), Mohammad Ali Qamar (Boxing), Suma Shirur (Para Shooting), Sujeet Maan (Wrestling). Lifetime Category: Dinesh Lad (Cricket), Bimal Ghosh (Football), Raj Singh (Wrestling).
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Schievement: Ashwini Akkunji C (Athletics), Dharamvir Singh (Hockey), BC Suresh (Kabaddi), Nir Bahadur Gurung (Para Athletics).
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: TransStadia Enterprises Private Limited (Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent), Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility), Ladakh Ski & Snowboard Association (Sports for Development).
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.

ARJUNA AWARDEES OF ODISHA: 1. Minati Mohapatra (Cycling, 1980), 2. Bijay Kumar Satpathy (Weightlifting, 1982), 3. Rachita Mistry-Panda (Athletics, 1998), 4. Dilip Kumar Tirkey (Hockey, 2002), 5. Jyoti Sunita Kullu (Hockey, 2007), 6. Ignace Tirkey (Hockey, 2009), 7. Katulu Ravi Kumar (Weightlifting, 2010), 8. Pramod Bhagat (Para Badminton, 2019), 9. Dutee Chand (Athletics, 2020), 10. Birendra Lakra (Hockey, 2021), 11. Amit Rohidas (Hockey, 2021), 12. Deep Grace Ekka (Hockey, 2022).
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TOP: File photo of Odisha woman hockey Olympian and Arjuna Awardee Deep Grace Ekka in action.
RIGHT: KIIT founder Dr Achyuta Samanta receives the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on 30 November 2022.