Staff Reporter
President Ram Nath Kovind today gave away the National Sports Awards-2021 and Adventure Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan. This year Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award has been given to 12 sportspersons. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of the previous four years.
Those sportspersons awarded with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna are Tokyo Olympic Gold Medalist athlete Neeraj Chopra, Tokyo Olympics Silver Medalist wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Boxer Lovlina Borgohain, Hockey player P. R. Sreejesh and Manpreet Singh, Para-Shooters Manish Narwal and Avani Lekhara, Para-Athlete Sumit Antil, Para-Shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Krishna Nagar, Cricketer Mithali Raj and Footballer Sunil Chhetri.
Thirty five sportspersons have been honoured with Arjuna Award this year. Arjuna Award for outstanding performance in Sports and Games is given for good performance over a period of previous four years and showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. Those received the award in this category include Para-Paddler Bhavina Patel, Para-Archer Harvinder Singh, Athlete Arpinder Singh, Sabre Fencer Bhavani Devi, Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, Tennis Player Ankita Raina, Shooter Abhishek Verma, Mallakhamb player Himani Uttam Parab and Boxer Simranjit Kaur. Eighteen Hockey players including Birendra Lakra, Rupinder Pal Singh, Amit Rohidas, Vandana Katariya and Monika and Para-Badminton player Suhas Yathiraj.
Besides, Athletics Coach T. P. Oushep and Radhakrishnan Nair P, Cricket Coach Sarkar Talwar, Hockey Coach Sarpal Singh and Pritam Siwach, Kabaddi Coach Ashan Kumar, Swimming Coach Tapan Kumar Panigrahi, Boxing Coach Sandhya Gurung, Para- Shooting Coach Jai Prakash Nautiyal and Table Tennis Coach Subramanian Raman have been conferred with Dronacharya Award by the President.
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games has been given to Lekha K. C. for Boxing, Abhijeet Kunte for Chess, Davinder Singh Garcha for Hockey, Vikas Kumar for Kabaddi and Sajjan Singh for Wrestling. Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Manav Rachna Educational Institution have been awarded with Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for sports promotion and development.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for 2021 has been given to Punjab University, Chandigarh. President Kovind also gave away Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards-2020 at this juncture. Those awarded include Priyanka Mohite and Lt. Col. Jay Prakash Kumar and Col. Amit Bisht for land adventure. Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also attended the function.