Key Highlights
- The President of India will confer the 2024 National Sports Awards on 17 January 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- Six distinct award categories are being presented, encompassing athletes, coaches, universities and sporting bodies.
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna laureates are recognized for superior performance over the last four years.
- Arjuna Awards honour both current and retired sportspersons for excellence, leadership and sportsmanship.
- Dronacharya and MAKA Trophy celebrate coaching mastery and university‑level sporting achievement respectively.
Detailed Insights
The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports disclosed the list of honorees for the 2024 National Sports Awards. The ceremony, slated for 17 January 2025, will be presided over by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Six award streams are covered:
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2024): The apex accolade for athletes who have delivered the most outstanding performances across a four‑year window. Recipients include chess prodigy Gukesh D, hockey star Harmanpreet Singh, para‑athlete Praveen Kumar, and shooter Manu Bhaker.
- Arjuna Awards (Outstanding Performance): Thirty‑two athletes from diverse disciplines—athletics, boxing, chess, hockey, para‑sports, swimming, wrestling, squash and more—are recognised for exemplary results, leadership and discipline.
- Arjuna Awards (Lifetime): Two retired sportspersons, Sucha Singh (athletics) and Murlikant Rajaram Petkar (para‑swimming), are honoured for their continued contribution to sport promotion.
- Dronacharya Awards (Coaching Excellence): In the regular category, coaches Subhash Rana (para‑shooting), Deepali Deshpande (shooting) and Sandeep Sangwan (hockey) receive the award. The lifetime category celebrates S Muralidharan (badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (football).
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar: The Physical Education Foundation of India is acknowledged for its impactful role in fostering sport nationwide.
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: Chandigarh University topped the Khelo India University Games, with Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University placed second and third respectively.
Selection was conducted through an online portal, with applications evaluated by a committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) V. Ramasubramanian, assisted by eminent athletes, journalists and administrators. The awards aim to celebrate past achievements, motivate current participants and inspire the next generation of Indian sportspersons.