The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the National Sports Awards 2024, honoring exceptional achievements across various disciplines. Manu Bhaker, D Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, and Praveen Kumar have been conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honor in India.
Manu Bhaker created history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. She secured bronze in the 10m air pistol individual and mixed team events. D Gukesh, an 18-year-old chess prodigy, achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest World Chess Champion while also playing a key role in India’s gold medal victory at the Chess Olympiad. Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian men’s hockey team to its second consecutive bronze medal at the Olympics, solidifying his reputation as a dynamic leader. Para high-jumper Praveen Kumar claimed gold in the T64 category at the Paris Paralympics, showcasing extraordinary determination and skill.
The awards will be presented by the President of India at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, 2025.
The Arjuna Awards have been conferred upon 32 athletes, including 17 para-athletes, in recognition of their outstanding contributions. Athletes from diverse sports such as athletics, hockey, chess, and shooting feature prominently in the list. Jyothi Yarraji, Salima Tete, and Rubina Francis are among the notable recipients. The Lifetime Arjuna Awards were awarded to former cyclist Sucha Singh and para-swimmer Murlikant Rajaram Petkar for their enduring impact on Indian sports.
The Dronacharya Award, recognizing excellence in coaching, was presented to Subhash Rana, Deepali Deshpande, and Sandeep Sangwan in the active coaching category, while S Muralidharan and Armando Agnelo Colaco received the honor in the lifetime category.
The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar was awarded to the Physical Education Foundation of India for its contributions to promoting sports in the country. Chandigarh University was named the overall winner of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy 2024, with Lovely Professional University and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, securing second and third places respectively.
