New Delhi: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Thursday announced the recipients of the National Sports Awards 2024, with the spotlight firmly on the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
This year, India’s highest sporting honour will be bestowed upon four extraordinary athletes: Gukesh D (Chess), Harmanpreet Singh (Hockey), Praveen Kumar (Para-Athletics), and Manu Bhaker (Shooting).
Their remarkable performances over the past four years have not only earned them this distinction but also solidified their status as icons in their respective sports.
The awards ceremony, a celebration of excellence in Indian sports, will take place on 17 January at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu will confer honours upon athletes, coaches, and institutions that have made outstanding contributions to the sporting landscape.
Among the highlights are the Arjuna Awards, which recognise consistent excellence. This year’s recipients include Jyothi Yarraji and Annu Rani (Athletics), and Vantika Agrawal (Chess), alongside notable athletes from hockey, para-athletics, and para-badminton.
The Arjuna Lifetime Award will honour Sucha Singh (Athletics) and Murlikant Rajaram Petkar (Para-Swimming) for their invaluable contributions to sports.
In coaching, the Dronacharya Award will spotlight exceptional mentors like Subhash Rana (Para-Shooting), Deepali Deshpande (Shooting), and Sandeep Sangwan (Hockey) in the Regular Category. The Lifetime Category will celebrate the enduring impact of S Muralidharan (Badminton) and Armando Agnelo Colaco (Football).
The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar will go to the Physical Education Foundation of India for its efforts in sports promotion, while Chandigarh University will be honoured with the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2024 for its stellar performance in the Khelo India University Games.
A rigorous selection process, chaired by former Justice V Ramasubramanian and involving eminent sportspersons, journalists, and administrators, ensured that the awards reflected fairness and transparency.
These honours underscore India’s unwavering commitment to celebrating excellence and fostering a vibrant sports culture, inspiring future generations to achieve even greater heights.
