National Sports Awards 2023: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2023 today. The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 09th January, 2024 (Tuesday) at 1100 hours.
Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches and entities.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 the period of the previous four years.
‘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.
‘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.
‘Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games’ is given to honour sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and who continue to contribute to promotion of sports event after their retirement.
The overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2023
1. Shri Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty, Badminton
2. Shri Rankireddy Satwik Sai Raj, Badminton
* The Award has been conferred to both sportspersons having similar achievements on account of Team performance.
(ii) Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games 2023
Shri Ojas Pravin Deotale, Archery
Ms Aditi Gopichand Swami, Archery
Shri Sreeshankar M, Athletics
Ms Parul Chaudhary, Athletics
Shri Mohameed Hussamuddin, Boxing
Ms R Vaishali, Chess
Shri Mohammed Shami, Cricket
Shri Anush Agarwalla, Equestrian
Ms Divyakriti Singh, Equestrian Dressage
Ms Diksha Dagar, Golf
Shri Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Hockey
Ms Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu, Hockey
Shri Pawan Kumar, Kabaddi
Ms Ritu Negi, Kabaddi
Ms Nasreen, Kho-Kho
Ms Pinki Lawn, Bowls
Shri Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Shooting
Ms Esha Singh, Shooting
Shri Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, Squash
Ms Ayhika Mukherjee, Table Tennis
Shri Sunil Kumar, Wrestling
Ms Antim, Wrestling
Ms Naorem Roshibina Devi, Wushu
Ms Sheetal Devi Para, Archery
Shri Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy, Blind Cricket
Ms Prachi Yadav, Para Canoeing
(iii) Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games 2023
Regular Category:
Shri Lalit Kumar, Wrestling
Shri R. B. Ramesh, Chess
Shri Mahaveer Prasad Saini, Para Athletics
Shri Shivendra Singh, Hockey
Shri Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar, Mallakhamb
Lifetime Category:
Shri Jaskirat Singh Grewal, Golf
Shri Bhaskaran, E Kabaddi
Shri Jayanta Kumar Pushilal, Table Tennis
(iv) Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games 2023:
Ms Manjusha Kanwar, Badminton
Shri Vineet Kumar Sharma, Hockey
Ms Kavitha Selvaraj, Kabaddi
(v) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023:
1. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar Overall winner university
2. Lovely Professional University, Punjab 1st runner up University
3. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra 2nd runner up University
The applications were invited online and sportspersons/coaches/entities were permitted to self-apply through a dedicated Online Portal. A large number of applications/nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by the Selection Committee headed by Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, Retd. Judge, Supreme Court of India and consisting of members from eminent sportspersons, persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrators.
