From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

Dhyan Chand Award

Lifetime achievement sporting honour of the Republic of India

Summary

Lifetime achievement sporting honour of the Republic of India

Field	Value
name	Dhyan Chand Award
image	Dhyan Chand Award.jpg
image_size	150px
awarded_for	Lifetime Achievement sporting honour in India
sponsor	Government of India
firstawarded	2002
lastawarded	2024
reward
award1_type	Total awarded
award1_winner	89
award2_type	First winner
award2_winner
award3_type	Last winner
award3_winner

A Black and White photo of man holding hockey stick in his right hand. — [[Dhyan Chand]] at the [[1936 Summer Olympics]].

The Major Dhyan Chand Award, officially known as Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, is the lifetime achievement sporting honour of the Republic of India. The award is named after hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand (1905–79), a legendary Indian field hockey player who scored more than 1000 international goals during a career which spanned over 20 years from 1926 to 1948.

It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Recipients are selected by a committee constituted by the Ministry and are honoured for their contributions to sport both during their active sporting career and after retirement. , the award comprises a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of .

Instituted in 2002, the award is given only to the disciplines included in the events like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup along with Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports. The nominations for a given year are accepted till 30 April or last working day of April. A nine-member committee evaluates the nominations and later submits their recommendations to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for further approval.

The first recipients of the award were Shahuraj Birajdar (Boxing), Ashok Diwan (Hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (Basketball), who were honoured in 2002. Usually conferred upon not more than three sportspersons in a year, a few exceptions have been made (2003, 2012–2013, and 2018–2020) when more recipients were awarded.

Nominations

The nominations for the award are received from all government recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India, the Sports Promotion and Control Boards, and the state and the union territory governments with not more than two eligible sportspersons nominated for each sports discipline. The Sports Promotion and Control Boards of various Governments organizations includes the All India Police Sports Control Board, Army Sports Control Board, Railways Sports Promotion Board, Indian Navy Sports control Board, Air Force Sports Control Board, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, Air India Sports Promotion Board, SAIL Sports Promotion Board. In case of cricket, the nominations are received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India as there is no National Sports Federation recognised by the Government. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is authorised to submit the nominations on behalf of all the de-recognised or under suspension National Sports Federations. The previous award recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Award can also nominate one sportsperson for the discipline for which they themselves were awarded. The Government can nominate up to two sportspersons in deserving cases where no such nominations have been received from the nominating authorities. The nominations for a given year are accepted till 30 April or last working day of April.

Selection process

All the received nominations are sent to SAI and concerned National Sports Federations for verification against the claimed achievements. The National Anti-Doping Agency is responsible for providing doping clearance. Any sportsperson who is either penalised or being investigated for use of drugs or substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency is not eligible for the award along with the previous award recipients of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, and Dronacharya Award. A committee consisting of the Joint Secretary and the Director/Deputy Secretary of Department of Sports, the Secretary and the Executive Director/Director (TEAMS) of SAI verify and validate the nominations.

The valid nominations are considered by a selection committee constituted by the Government. This nine member committee consists of a Chairperson nominated by the Ministry; four members who are either Olympians or previous recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna or Dhyan Chand awards; two sports journalists/experts/commentators; one sports administrator; and the Director General of SAI and the Joint Secretary of Department of Sports; with not more than one sportsperson from any particular discipline being included in the committee. The medals won in various International championships and events in disciplines included in Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games are given 70% weightage. The remaining 30% weightage is given for contributions made towards promotion of sports after the candidates retirement from an active sporting career. For any other games not included in Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games like cricket and indigenous games, individual performances are taken into consideration. The sportsperson with maximum points is given 70 marks, while the remaining candidates are given marks in proportion to the maximum points. For team events, marks are given per the strength of the team. Following are the points defined for medals at the given events:

Event	Medal	Olympic Games/Paralympic Games
80	70	55
40	30	20
30	25	20
25	20	15

For a given discipline, not more than two sportspersons, one male and one female, are given highest marks. The committee may not recommend the award to the sportsperson with the highest marks across disciplines but can only recommend the recipient of the highest aggregate marks in a particular sports discipline. The recommendations of the selection committee are submitted to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for further approval.

Recipients

Year	Recipient(s)	Discipline(s)	Refs.	T. P. Padmanabhan Nair
2002	Boxing
2002	Hockey
2002	Basketball
2003	Hockey
2003	Basketball
2003	Hockey
2003	Volleyball
2003	Rowing
2004	Athletics (Physically challenged)
2004	Hockey
2004	Athletics
2005	Wrestling
2005	Billiards & Snooker
2005	Hockey
2006	Wrestling
2006	Athletics
2006	Hockey
2007	Wrestling
2007	Kabaddi
2007	Hockey
2008	Wrestling
2008	Athletics
2008	Hockey
2009	Wrestling
2009	Athletics
2010	Weightlifting
2010	Athletics
2010	Wrestling
2011	Football
2011	Swimming
2011	Wrestling
2012	Hockey
2012	Wrestling
2012	Athletics
2012	Para-Sports
2013	Hockey
2013	Wrestling
2013	Athletics
2013	Athletics (Parasports)
2014	Tennis
2014	Hockey
2014	Swimming
2015	Hockey
2015	Tennis
2015	Volleyball
2016	Hockey
2016	Athletics
2016	Rowing
2017	Athletics
2017	Football
2017	Hockey
2018	Archery
2018	Hockey
2018	Athletics
2018	Wrestling
2019	Hockey
2019	Table Tennis
2019	Wrestling
2019	Tennis
2019	Archery
2020	Athletics
2020	Athletics
2020	Badminton
2020	Badminton
2020	Boxing
2020	Boxing
2020	Football
2020	Hockey
2020	Kabaddi
2020	Para Athletics
2020	Para Badminton
2020	Rowing
2020	Swimming
2020	Tennis
2020	Wrestling
2021	Boxing
2021	Chess
2021	Hockey
2021	Kabaddi
2021	Wrestling
2022	Athletics
2022	Hockey
2022	Kabaddi
2022	Para Athletics
2023	Badminton
2023	Hockey
2023	Kabaddi
2024	Athletics
2024	Para Swimming

Controversies

In August 2015, the Ministry announced the award to Romeo James (Hockey), Shiv Prakash Mishra (Tennis), and T. P. Padmanabhan Nair (Volleyball). A Public-Interest Litigation was filed in the Madras High Court by Paralympic athlete Ranjith Kumar Jayaseelan. The petitioner mentioned that he submitted the nomination after fulfilling the criteria by getting 60% for medals and 30% for contributing for sports promotion. Kumar requested to annul the award announced on three recipients. The Court ordered a notice to the Ministry seeking an explanation about the selection.

Explanatory notes

References

(3 February 2016). "Scheme for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games (Amended as on 3 February 2016)". Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
(29 August 2020). "Khel Ratna awardees to receive 25 lakh, 15 lakh for Arjuna awardees". The Indian Express.
(7 February 2004). "Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement in Sports and Games". Press Information Bureau, India.
"List of Dhyan Chand Awardees". Sports Authority of India.
(29 August 2002). "President presents Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2003). "Arjuna Awards, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya Awards given away". Press Information Bureau, India.
(21 September 2004). "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2005). "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(23 August 2006). "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, 2005, Arjuna awards 2005, Dhyan Chand awards, 2006 and Dronacharya awards for the year 2005 Announced". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2007). "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(19 August 2008). "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & Arjuna Awards announced". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 July 2009). "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards and other Sports Awards Announced". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2010). "President Gives Away Sports and Adventure Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(18 August 2011). "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards and other Sports Awards Announced". Press Information Bureau, India.
"कुश्ती प्रतियोगिता का समापन, पहलवानों को किया सम्मानित".
(29 August 2012). "President Gives Away National Sports and Adventure Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(22 August 2013). "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(21 August 2014). "National Sports Awards 2014". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2015). "National Sports and Adventure Awards". Press Information Bureau, India.
(22 August 2016). "National Sports Awards 2016". Press Information Bureau, India.
(22 August 2017). "National Sports Awards 2017". Press Information Bureau, India.
(20 September 2018). "National Sports Awards 2018 announced; Mirabai Chanu and Virat Kohli to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna". Press Information Bureau, India.
(20 August 2019). "National Sports Awards 2018 announced; Bajrang Punia and Deepa Malik to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award". Press Information Bureau, India.
(21 August 2020). "National Sports Awards 2020 announced – Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan T., Manik Batra, Ms Vinesh and Ms Rani bag the Khel Ratna". Press Information Bureau, India.
(2 November 2021). "National Sports Awards 2021 announced". Press Information Bureau, India.
(14 November 2022). "Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2022". Press Information Bureau, India.
(20 December 2022). "Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2023". Press Information Bureau, India.
(2 January 2025). "Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2024". Press Information Bureau, India.
(29 August 2015). "Notice to government on plea by Madurai paralympics athlete". The Times of India.

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

indian-sports-trophies-and-awards recipients-of-the-dhyan-chand-award awards-established-in-2002 lifetime-achievement-awards 2002-establishments-in-india ministry-of-youth-affairs-and-sports monuments-and-memorials-to-dhyan-chand

Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about Dhyan Chand Award — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report