Context

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2024, awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17th January, 2025.
• National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

• ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over the period of the previous four years.
• On August 6, 2021, the government of India renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand.
• Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was instituted in 1991–92.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardee 2024

Major Dhyan Chand

• Known as The Wizard of Hockey
• Field hockey player
• Awarded Padma Bhusan in 1956.
• Part of the Olympic team that won gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
• India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is known as the Dhyan Chand Award, instituted in 2002.
• The National Stadium in New Delhi was also renamed as the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002.
• National Sports Day is observed every year on 29th August to mark the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.

Arjuna Award

• ‘Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games’ is given for good performance over a period of the previous four years and for showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
• Awards were first presented in India in 1961.

Arjuna Awards Awardee 2024

Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2024

• Arjuna Award (Lifetime) is given to honour and motivate those sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career.

Dronacharya Award

• ‘Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games’ is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel in International events.
• The Dronacharya Award, instituted in 1985, is India’s highest sports honour for coaches.

Dronacharya Award Awardee 2024

A. Regular Category:

B. Lifetime Category:

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar

• The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar was instituted in 2009.
• Awarded to organisations or corporates (both private and public) and individuals for playing a role in the area of sports promotion and development over the last three years.
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar Awardee 2024: Physical Education Foundation of India

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy

• The overall top performing university in Khelo India University Games is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
• The oldest National Sports Award in India.
• Awards were instituted in 1956–1957, named in honour of the Indian freedom fighter and the country’s first education minister Shri Abul Kalam Azad.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy Awardee 2024