-President of India will give away the awards on 13th November 2021

Key Highlights

  • Major Dhyan Chand KhelRatna Award 2021 will be given to 12 Sports persons
  • 35 Sports persons will receive Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2021New

 New Delhi :  Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2021 today. The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on 13th November, 2021(Saturday) at 1630 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 theState 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.

A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by the Selection Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma (former Judge of Supreme Court), consisting members from eminent sportspersons and persons having experience in sports journalism & sports administrator etc.

Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches and entities:

  1. Major Dhyan Chand KhelRatna Award 2021

S. No. Name of the Sportsperson Discipline
1. Neeraj Chopra Athletics
2. Ravi Kumar Wrestling
3. LovlinaBorgohain Boxing
4. Sreejesh P.R Hockey
5. AvaniLekhara Para Shooting
6. SumitAntil Para Athletics
7. PramodBhagat Para Badminton
8. Krishna Nagar Para Badminton
9. Manish Narwal Para Shooting
10. Mithali Raj Cricket
11. Sunil Chhetri Football
12. Manpreet Singh Hockey

(ii)        Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2021

S. No. Name of the Sportsperson Discipline
Arpinder Singh Athletics
SimranjitKaur Boxing
ShikharDhawan Cricket
Bhavani Devi Chadalavada Anandha Sundhararaman Fencing
Monika Hockey
VandanaKatariya Hockey
SandeepNarwal Kabaddi
HimaniUttamParab Mallakhamb
AbhishekVerma Shooting
AnkitaRaina Tennis
Deepak Punia Wrestling
Dilpreet Singh Hockey
Harman Preet Singh Hockey
Rupinder Pal Singh Hockey
Surender Kumar Hockey
AmitRohidas Hockey
BirendraLakra Hockey
Sumit Hockey
Nilakanta Sharma Hockey
Hardik Singh Hockey
VivekSagar Prasad Hockey
Gurjant Singh Hockey
Mandeep Singh Hockey
Shamsher Singh Hockey
Lalit Kumar Upadhyay Hockey
Varun Kumar Hockey
Simranjeet Singh Hockey
YogeshKathuniya Para Athletics
Nishad Kumar Para Athletics
Praveen Kumar Para Athletics
SuhashYathiraj Para Badminton
SinghrajAdhana Para Shooting
Bhavina Patel Para Table Tennis
Harvinder Singh Para Archery
Sharad Kumar Para Athletics

(iii)       Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games 2021

  1. Life-Time Category:
S. No. Name of the Coach Discipline
T. P. Ouseph Athletics
SarkarTalwar Cricket
Sarpal Singh Hockey
Ashan Kumar Kabaddi
Tapan Kumar Panigrahi Swimming

  1. Regular Category:
S. No. Name of the Coach Discipline
Radhakrishnan Nair P Athletics
SandhyaGurung Boxing
PritamSiwach Hockey
Jai PrakashNautiyal Para Shooting
Subramanian Raman Table Tennis

 (iv)      Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games 2021

S.No. Name Discipline
Lekha K.C. Boxing
AbhijeetKunte Chess
Davinder Singh Garcha Hockey
Vikas Kumar Kabaddi
Sajjan Singh Wrestling

(vi) Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2021

S. No. Category Entity recommended for RashtriyaKhelProtsahanPuraskar, 2021
1. Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent ManavRachna Educational Institution
2. Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility Indian Oil Corporation Limited

(vii)      Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2021: 

Panjab University – Chandigarh