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India’s National Sports Awards are a tribute to the nation's most accomplished athletes, dedicated coaches, and institutions that have shaped the sporting landscape. With a rich legacy spanning decades, these awards honour consistent performance, lifelong commitment, and extraordinary contributions to sports and adventure.

A National Sports Award is an esteemed honour which every athlete craves. Indian athletes, who have had the honour to go on the podium and receive the award, have their names etched down in history books.

• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
• Arjuna Award
• Dronacharya Award
• Arjuna Award Lifetime
• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) rolling Trophy
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
• Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (informal)

Criteria For Eligibility

1. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

 Regarded as the highest sporting accolade in the country, the Khel Ratna was instituted in 1991–92 under the name Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. It was renamed in 2021 to honour hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. This award recognises extraordinary sporting achievements sustained over a four-year period. Recipients are honoured with a medallion, a certificate, and a monetary prize.

Viswanathan Anand, the iconic chess Grandmaster, was the first to receive this prestigious honour. Over the years, the Khel Ratna has been awarded to many of India’s most celebrated athletes, including MC Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal, Vijender Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli.

Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold medallist from the 2008 Beijing Games, remains the youngest Khel Ratna recipient — earning the honour at the age of 18 in 2001. Meanwhile, Karnam Malleswari, who clinched a bronze in weightlifting at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to receive the award, back in 1994–95.

2. Arjuna Award

Named after the revered warrior from the epic Mahabharata, the Arjuna Award was introduced in 1961 and held the title of India’s premier sports honour until the establishment of the Khel Ratna. It is bestowed upon athletes for consistent excellence over a four-year period. Each recipient receives a statuette of Arjuna, a certificate, and a cash prize.

Footballer and Olympian PK Banerjee was among the 20 awardees in the inaugural year, while hockey player Anna Lumsden became the first woman recipient. Under current regulations, Khel Ratna winners are not eligible for this award, although Arjuna Awardees can be considered for the Khel Ratna in later years.

3. Dronacharya Award

Instituted in 1985, the Dronacharya Award stands as the nation’s highest sporting honour for coaches, named after the legendary mentor of Arjuna. It celebrates those who have trained athletes to win medals at prestigious global competitions.

Recipients are awarded a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, along with a certificate and a monetary reward. Notable among the first awardees were wrestling coach Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat, boxing trainer Om Prakash Bharadwaj, and OM Nambiar, who played a pivotal role in PT Usha’s athletic journey. In 2002, Renu Kohli became the first woman to receive this coaching honour. The award also distinguishes between recent achievements and lifetime dedication.

4. Arjuna Award Lifetime

Rebranded in 2024 from the Major Dhyan Chand Award to the Arjuna Award Lifetime, this distinction celebrates an individual’s long-standing service to sports, both in terms of performance and promotion. Initially instituted in 2002, the award aims to recognise personal contribution to the development of Indian sport.

Among the earliest recipients were Olympian boxer Shahuraj Birajdar, hockey player Ashok Diwan, and Aparna Ghosh, known for her roles as both a player and coach in women’s basketball.

5. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy

The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, India’s oldest sports honour, was launched in 1956–57. Named after the country’s first education minister, it is awarded annually to the university demonstrating outstanding performance in inter-university tournaments.

Bombay University was the first recipient, while Guru Nanak Dev University of Amritsar has dominated the accolade, securing 22 wins over the years. The honour comes with a rolling trophy and a cash award, highlighting the role of academic institutions in nurturing talent.

6. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

Introduced in 2009, the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar applauds individuals, corporates (both public and private), and organisations that promote and develop sports over a three-year period. The name translates to "National Sports Promotion Award" in English.

Awardees are recognised in four categories: talent identification and development, CSR-driven sports initiatives, employment and welfare of sportspersons, and sports as a tool for social change. Winners receive a citation and a trophy, with multiple recognitions possible within each segment.

7. Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award

Launched in 1994 in memory of mountaineering legend Tenzing Norgay—who, alongside Edmund Hillary, was the first to summit Mount Everest—the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award honours excellence in adventure sports on land, water, and air.

Considered the Arjuna Award equivalent in the field of adventure, the honour acknowledges feats in disciplines such as mountaineering, skydiving, open-water swimming, and sailing. Presented since 2004 alongside the core sports awards, it includes categories for land, sea, air adventure, and lifetime contribution.