The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports recently announced the National Sports Awards 2022. The awards will be presented to the recipients at a specially organised event at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 30, 2022. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award will be given to Sharath Kamal Achanta in 2022. 25 athletes will receive Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in the Sports and Games in 2022.
Sharath Kamal performed spectacularly at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning four medals, including three golds. Athletes who won medals at the Commonwealth Games include Eldhose Paul, Avinash Sable, Lakshya Sen, and Nikhat Zareen on the ministry’s list of Arjuna Award winners. This year, self-applications were permitted through a unique website, and for the first time, applications were exclusively accepted online.
There were numerous nominations made this year for these awards. Famous sportsmen, sports writers, and administrators made up the Selection Committee, which was presided over by retired Justice A. M. Khanwilkar. A judge from India’s Supreme Court went over each nomination.
“National Sports Awards” refers to all six of the Republic of India’s sports awards. These are given out annually to recognise and honour athletic excellence. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports presents it yearly. The Indian President offers the prizes during the same event at the Presidential Palace.
Following are the six awards:
- The athlete who has demonstrated the most exceptional and remarkable athletic achievement over the previous four years is given the “Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.”
- The “Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games” is given in honour of exceptional achievement over the past four years and qualities connected to leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
- Coaches who continuously do good and worthy work and support athletes in winning international tournaments are given the “Dronacharya Award for exceptional coaches in Sports and Games”.
- Athletes who have advanced sports via competition and do so even after retiring are recognised with the “Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games.”
- Sports control boards, NGOs, national and state sports organisations, and corporate organisations (both in the public and private sectors) that have significantly aided in the development and promotion of sports are given the “Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.”
- In inter-university tournaments, the university that performs best overall is given the “Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy”.
For the first time this year, applications could only be submitted online. Athletes, coaches, and organisations could do so by visiting a specific website. For these awards this year, numerous nominations were made. Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Ret. Judge, Supreme Court of India, served as the selection committee’s chairman, made up of notable athletes, sports writers, and administrators. All of the nominations were examined by the Selection Committee, comprised of well-known athletes, sports writers, and administrators and presided over by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Ret. Judge, Supreme Court of India.
