The Union Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry has announced the National Sports Awards 2021. President Ram Nath Kovind will give away the awards at a specially organised function at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 13, the Sports Ministry said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the ministry stated that Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra, Olympic silver-medallist Ravi Kumar Dahiya, Boxer Lovlina Borgohain and Indian men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, Para Shooter Avani Lekhara, Para Athlete Sumit Antil, Pramod Bhagat (Para-Badminton), Krishna Nagar (Para-Badminton), Para Shooter Manish Narwal, women's cricketer Mithali Raj, veteran footballer Sunil Chhetri and Olympic bronze-winning Indian men’s hockey team captain Manprit Singh will be honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2021.

‘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.

The Sports Ministry also revealed 35 Arjuna awardees, five Dronacharya awardees, Dyan Chand awardees, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.

The National Sports Awards 2021 were selected by the Selection Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma (former Judge of Supreme Court), consisting members from eminent sportspersons and persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrator etc., the ministry stated.

‘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.

Sportspersons who will be honoured with the Arjuna Award include Arpinder Singh (Athletics), Simranjit Kaur (Boxing), Shikhar Dhawan (Cricket), CA Bhavani Devi (Fencing), Monika (Hockey), Vandana Katariya (Hockey), Sandeep Narwal (Kabaddi), Himani Uttam Parab (Mallakhamb), Abhishek Verma (Shooting), Ankita Raina (Tennis), Deepak Punia (Wrestling), Dilpreet Singh (Hockey), Harman Preet Singh (Hockey), Rupinder Pal Singh (Hockey), Surender Kumar (Hockey), Amit Rohidas (Hockey), Birendra Lakra (Hockey), Sumit (Hockey), Nilakanta Sharma (Hockey), Hardik Singh (Hockey), Vivek Sagar Prasad (Hockey), Gurjant Singh (Hockey), Mandeep Singh (Hockey), Shamsher Singh (Hockey), Lalit Kumar Upadhyay (Hockey), Varun Kumar (Hockey), Simranjeet Singh (Hockey), Yogesh Kathuniya (Para Athletics), Nishad Kumar (Para Athletics), Praveen Kumar (Para Athletics), Suhash Yathiraj (Para Badminton), Singhraj Adhana (Para Shooting), Bhavina Patel (Para Table Tennis), Harvinder Singh (Para Archery), and Sharad Kumar (Para Athletics).

T P Ouseph (Athletics), Sarkar Talwar (Cricket), Sarpal Singh (Hockey), Ashan Kumar (Kabaddi), Tapan Kumar Panigrahi (Swimming), will be honored with the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games 2021. In the Dronacharya Regular category, Radhakrishnan Nair P (Athletics), Sandhya Gurung (Boxing) Pritam Siwach (Hockey), Jai Prakash Nautiyal (Para Shooting), and Subramanian Raman (Table Tennis) will be honoured.

‘Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games’ is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and enabling sportspersons to excel in International events.

Sajjan Singh (Wrestling), Lekha KC (Boxing), Abhijeet Kunte (Chess), Davinder Singh Garcha (Hockey) and Vikas Kumar (Kabaddi) will be conferred the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games.

‘Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime achievement in Sports and Games’ is given to honour sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports events after their retirement.

Manav Rachna Educational Institution will be conferred for Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent while the Indian Oil Corporation Limited will be honoured for Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility under ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’.

‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ is given to corporate entities (both in private and public sector), sports control boards, NGOs including sports bodies at theState and National level who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.

Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy and Panjab University, Chandigarh will be conferred the trophy.  
Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Kumar, Lovlina Borgohain