| National Sports Awards in Athletics | |
|---|---|
| Various civilian awards for contributions to Sports (Individual/Team) | |
 Long jumper Anju Bobby George receives the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2004 | |
| Awarded for | Various sports honour of India |
| Sponsored by | Government of India |
| Location | Rashtrapati Bhavan |
| Country | Republic of India |
| Presented by | President of India |
| First awarded | 1961 |
| Last awarded | 2022 |
| Highlights | |
| Total awarded | 141 |
| Awards | |
The National Sports Awards is the collective name given to the six sports awards of Republic of India. These are awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. They are presented by the President of India in the same ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, usually on 29 August each year, along with the national adventure award. As of 2020 [update] , a total of 133 individuals have been awarded the various National Sports Awards in athletics. The four awards presented in athletics are the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award, and Dronacharya Award. [1]
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First presented in the year 1961, the Arjuna Award in athletics has been given to a total of 94 individuals for their "good performance at the international level" over the period of the previous four years, with four individuals being awarded for their lifetime contribution. [2] First presented in the year 1985, the Dronacharya Award has been presented to a total of 24 coaches in athletics for their "outstanding work on a consistent basis and enabling sportspersons to excel in international events" over the period of last four years, with seven coaches being awarded in the lifetime contribution category. [3] First presented in the year 1998–1999, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of India, has been given to a total of three sportspersons in athletics for their "most outstanding performance at the international level" over the period of last four years. [4] The Dhyan Chand Award, the lifetime achievement sporting honour of India first presented in the year 2004 has been given to a total of 12 retired sportspersons in athletics for their "good performance at the international level and their continued contributions to the promotion of sports even after their career as a sportsperson is over". [5] One awardee, R. Gandhi, was posthumously honoured with the Dronacharya Award in the year 2017. [1]
