National Sports Awards -2019 announced Bajrang Punia and Deepa Malik to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award

National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four year, Arjuna Award is given for consistently outstanding performance for four years, Dronacharya Award for coaches is given for producing medal winners at prestigious International sports events.Dhyan Chand Award for life time contribution to sports development and Rashtriya Khel ProtsahanPuruskar are given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development. Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given MaulanaAbulKalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.

 

A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year (2019), which were considered by the Selection Committees consisting of former Arjuna Awardees, Dronacharya Awardees, Sport Journalists/Experts/Commentators and Sports Administrators. Selection Committee for the Sports Awards 2019 was headed by Justice Mukundakam Sharma, Retired Judge, Supreme Court.

 

Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following sportspersons, coaches, entities and university:

 

(A) RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD

 

S.No. Name of the Sportsperson Discipline
1. Sh. Bajrang Punia Wrestling
2. Ms. Deepa Malik Para Athletics

 

(B) DRONACHARYA AWARD

 

Regular Category

S.No. Name of the Coach Discipline
1. Sh. Vimal Kumar Badminton
2. Sh. Sandeep Gupta Table tennis
3. Sh. Mohinder Singh Dhillon Athletics

 

Life-Time Category

S.No. Name of the Coach Discipline
1. Sh. Merzban Patel Hockey
2. Sh. Rambir Singh Khokhar Kabaddi
3. Sh. Sanjay Bhardwaj Cricket

 

(C) ARJUNA AWARD

 

S.No. Name of the Sportsperson Discipline
1. Sh. Tajinderpal Singh Toor Athletics
2. Mohammed Anas Yahiya Athletics
3. Sh. S. Bhaskaran Body Building
4. Ms. Sonia Lather Boxing
5. Sh. Ravindra Jadeja Cricket
6. Sh. Chinglensana Singh Kangujam Hockey
7. Sh. Ajay Thakur Kabaddi
8. Sh. Gaurav Singh Gill Motor Sports
9. Sh. Pramod Bhagat Para Sports (Badminton)
10. Ms. Anjum Moudgil Shooting
11. Sh. Harmeet Rajul Desai Table Tennis
12. Ms. Pooja Dhanda Wrestling
13. Sh. Fouaad Mirza Equestrian
14. Sh. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu Football
15. Ms. Poonam Yadav Cricket
16. Ms. Swapna Barman Athletics
17. Sh. Sundar Singh Gurjar Para Sports  (Athletics)
18. Sh. Bhamidipati Sai Praneeth Badminton
19. Sh. Simran Singh Shergill Polo

 

(D) DHYANCHAND AWARD

 

S.No. Name Discipline
Sh. Manuel Fredricks Hockey
Sh. Arup Basak Table Tennis
Sh. Manoj Kumar Wrestling
Sh. NittenKirrtane Tennis
Sh. C. Lalremsanga Archery

 

(E) RASHTRIYA KHEL PROTSAHAN PURUSKAR

 

S. No. Category Entity recommended for Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2019
1. Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent’ (i) Gagan Narang Sports Promotion Foundation

(ii) GoSports Foundation

2. Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility
3. ‘Employment to sportspersons and other welfare measures’
4. Sports for Development

 

Rayalaseema Development Trust

 

(F) MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD (MAKA) TROPHY, 2019:Panjab University, Chandigarh

 

The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 29th August, 2019.

 

Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs. 7.5 lakh. Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh each. A trophy and citation is given to the entity in the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2019. Recipients of Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar will be given Trophies and certificates. Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments will be given MAKA Trophy, award money of Rs. 10 lakh and certificate.