Patna, August 5, 2010: The Union Government on Thursday announced the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Awards, Dhyan Chand Awards, Dronacharya Awards and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for the year 2010, in New Delhi.
A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by two select panels of eminent sportspersons and sports administrators; one headed by P.T. Usha ( for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Awards, Dhyan Chand Awards and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar) and other by Ashok Kumar (for Dronacharya Awards).
Based on the recommendations of the committees and after due scrutiny, the government has approved to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches and organizations.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award - 2010: Saina Nehwal (badminton).
Arjuna Awards 2010: Joseph Abraham (athletics), Krishna Poonia (athletics), Dinesh Kumar (boxing), Parimrajan Negi (chess), Julan Goswami (cricket-women), Deepak Kumar Mandal (football), Sandeep Singh (hockey-men), Jasjeet Kaur Handa (hockey-women), Dinesh Kumar (kabaddi), Sanjeev Rajput (shooting), Rehan Jehangir Poncha (swimming), Kapil Dev K.J. (volleyball), Rajeev Tomar (wrestling), Rajesh Chaudhary (yachting), Jagseer Singh (paralympic, athletics).
Dhyan Chand Award 2010: Satish Pillai (athletics), Kuldeep Singh (wrestling), Anita Chanu (weightlifting).
Dronacharya Awards for 2010: A.K. Kutty (athletics), Subhash B. Aggarwal (billiards and snooker), L. Ibomcha Singh (boxing), Ajay Kumar Bansal (hockey), Captain Chandrup (wrestling).
Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Puruskar 2010:
1. Services Sports Control Board (Community Sports Identification and nurturing of budding and young talent). 2. Tata Steel Limited (Financial Support for Sports Excellence). 3. Khel Evam Yuva Vibhag , Government of Madhya Pradesh (Establishment and Management of Sports Academies of Excellence)4. Services Sports Control Board ( Employment of sportsperson and sports welfare measures).
National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward the excellence in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for spectacular performance in the year under consideration; Arjunan Award is given for consistently outstanding performance for three consecutive years preceding the year of award; Dhyan Chand Award for lift time contribution to sports development; and Dronacharya Award for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events in past three years.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given to only one sportsperson in a year. Arjuna Award is given to not more than 15, Dhyan Chand Award to not more than 3 and Dronacharya Award to not more than 5 persons.
With a view to recognizing the contribution made to sports development by entities other than sportspersons and coaches, Government has instituted last year, a new award entitled Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, which has four categories, namely, community sports development, promotion of sports academies of excellence, support to elite sportspersons and employment to sportspersons.
Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh. Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya Awardees will receive statuettes, citations and cash prize of Rs.5 lakh each. The recipients of Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar will receive trophy and citation.
The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29, 2010.
Source: Union Sports Ministry press release