National Sports Awards 2020 | UPSC
HEADLINES:
National Sports Awards 2020 announced .
WHY IN NEWS:
National Sports Awards 2020 – Rohit Sharma, Mariyappan T., Manik Batra, Ms Vinesh and Ms Rani bag the Khel Ratna
SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3: Sports
LEARNING:
For PRELIMS go through each award . Understand the objective of these awards . Note a little background and have a glance on the eligibility criteria . That should sail you through Prelims .
For MAINS do you think Awards should be monetized more to serve the purpose of sportsperson ?
ISSUE:
NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS
RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games, is India’s highest sporting honour of the Republic of India.
- It was instituted in 1991-92.
- The award was given for the performance by a sportsperson in a year.
- A twelve-member committee evaluates the performances of a sportsperson at various levels.
- The committee later submits their recommendations to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for further approval.
- It carries a medal, a scroll of honour and a substantial cash component.
OBJECTIVE : The main objective of this award is to give social status and greater dignity to a sportsman in the society.
- It motives the sportsman to give their highest performance in sports events.
- The main objectives of the award are motivation and social recognition of a sports person. The award is given yearly.
ELIGIBILITY : The award is given to sports person who has excelled in Olympic Games, Asian Games and Common Wealth Games.
ARJUNA AWARD
- Arjuna Award is given for consistent outstanding performance for four years.
- The award was instituted in 1961 to recognize outstanding achievement in National Sports.
- Not more than fifteen awards are given every year.
ELIGIBILITY
- A sportsperson should have had good performance consistently for the previous three years at the international level with excellence for the year for which the award is recommended.
- Also He/She should also have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
DRONACHARYA AWARD
- Dronacharya Award goes to the coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events.
- It was constituted in 1985 to honour eminent coaches who have successfully trained sportspersons or teams and enabled them to achieve outstanding results in international competitions.
- Not more than five awards are given every year.
ELIGIBILITY
- The award is given to those who impart coaching temporarily or permanently to the teams or players.
- He should also have good achievement during the three years previous to the year of award.
DHYAN CHAND AWARD
- Dhyan Chand Award is for life time contribution to sports development .
- The award was instituted in 2002.
- The award is given to honour those sportsperson who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career.
- Not more than three awards are given every year.
RASHTRIYA KHEL PROTSAHAN PURUSKAR
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
- The award is given with a view to recognize the contribution made to sports development by entities other than sportspersons and coaches since 2009.
IT HAS FOUR CATEGORIES
- Identification and nurturing of budding/young talent
- Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility
- Employment of sprotspersons
- Sports Welfare Measures and Sports for Development.
MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD (MAKA) TROPHY
- Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy.
- It was instituted in 1956-57.
- This is actually a rolling trophy and a small replica of the trophy is also awarded to the University for Retention along with a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh.
- Universities securing second and third positions are also provided with cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 3 lakh, respectively.
- In addition to these Sports Awards, the Ministry also recognises the spirit of adventure among the people of the country by bestowing the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
IASbhai WINDUP:
- Special Awards to winners in International Sports Events and their Coaches: This was introduced in 1986 to encourage and motivate outstanding sportspersons for higher achievements and to attract the younger generation to take up sports as a career.
- A large number of applications were received for Sports Awards this year, which were considered by the Selection Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Mukundakam Sharma .
- The awardees will receive their awards from the Hon’ble President of India through virtual mode from Rashtrapati Bhawan.
SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | National Sports Awards 2020 | UPSC

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