National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. This year was special, with many emerging players with the support of government-run schemes excelling at various national and international events.
The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu presented the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2022 (Major Dh y a n C h a n d K h e l R a t n a Awards-2022, Dronacharya Awards-2022, Arjuna Awards-2022, Dhyan Chand Awards-2022, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar-2022, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy-2022 and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards-2021) at a function held recently at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. This year, 44 Awards have been presented in the National Sports and Adventure Awards, 2022. For many months, the Department of Sports has supported most athletes who have received the awards, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports Authority of India, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme and the Khelo India Scheme. Legendary Table Tennis player Sharath Kamal is the sole recipient of the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year. Sharath has been a part of the TOP scheme since December 2018 and has imparted the best infrastructural and equipment training.
This year 25 Olympic, Paralympic, and Deaflympics athletes have received the Arjuna Awards this year. The Government of India’s flagship Khelo India Scheme has also played a crucial role in giving exposure to these talented youngsters from scratch to the elite level. Among the Arjuna Awardees were– The 11-year-old Indian Chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa. the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards were given to Naina Dhakad for Land Adventure, and the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy was presented to Guru Nanak Dev University. Other awards given out in the evening include the Dronacharya Award, Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad trophy as well as the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
and Spor t s, Government of India, invites annual applications for Sports Awards. This year, applications were invited only online for the first time, and sportspersons/coaches/ entities were permitted to selfapply through a dedicated portal. A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by the Selection Committee headed by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Retd. Judge, Supreme Court of India, members from eminent sportspersons, and persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrators. A Day ahead of the National Sports Awards ceremony for the year 2022, many awardee athletes and coaches visited Delhi’s National War Memorial and paid homage to the fallen Indian soldiers. During their visit, the awardees took a tour of the Veerta Chakra (circle of bravery). They saw the 6 Bronze Murals depicting various historical wars the country has faced post-independence.
