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National Sports Awards 2024: Highlights
Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh will be honored with the Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting honor, for his exceptional leadership. Under his captaincy, the Indian hockey team secured a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024 and a gold medal at the Asian Games 2022. Alongside Harmanpreet, a para-athlete will also be awarded the Khel Ratna.
In the National Sports Awards Committee meeting held last week, it was decided that 30 players will receive the Arjuna Award, including 17 able-bodied athletes and 13 para-athletes. Notably, all medal-winning para-athletes from the Paris Paralympics 2024, who have not received the award previously, will be honored this year. India had a stellar performance at the Paralympics, winning 29 medals: 7 gold, 9 silver, and 13 bronze.
Subhash Rana to Receive Dronacharya Award
Shooting coach Subhash Rana, whose team clinched four medals at the Paris Paralympics 2024, will be conferred the Dronacharya Award. His athletes brought home one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Key performances included Avani Lekhara, who won gold in the 10m air rifle event, and Manish Narwal, who secured silver in air pistol.
National Sports Awards: The Framework
The National Sports Awards honor athletes, coaches, and organizations for their contributions to Indian sports. Major awards include:
- Khel Ratna (highest individual honor)
- Arjuna Award (for consistent performance)
- Dronacharya Award (for coaches)
- Dhyan Chand Award (lifetime achievement in sports)
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy (team achievements)
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar (promotion of sports).
Additionally, the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award recognizes achievements in adventure sports.
Last Year’s Recap
In 2023, 26 athletes, including cricketer Mohammed Shami, received the Arjuna Award for his outstanding performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The Khel Ratna was awarded to badminton stars Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty.
A Historic Record in Cricket
In related sports news, Punjab cricketer Anmolpreet Singh set a new record in Indian cricket by scoring the fastest List-A century off just 35 balls during a Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 match against Arunachal Pradesh. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Indian cricket.
