Dhyan Chand Award

The Dhyan Chand Award, officially known as Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games,[1] is the lifetime achievement sporting honour of the Republic of India. The award is named after Dhyan Chand (1905–79), an Indian field hockey player who scored more than 1000 goals during a career which spanned over 20 years from 1926 to 1948.[2] It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Recipients are selected by a committee constituted by the Ministry and are honoured for their contributions to sport both during their active sporting career and after retirement. As of 2019, the award comprises a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh (US$7,000).[1] The cash prize was revised from ₹3 lakh (US$4,200) to ₹5 lakh (US$7,000) in 2009.[3][4]

Dhyan Chand Award
Awarded forLifetime Achievement sporting honour in India
Sponsored byGovernment of India
Reward(s)₹5 lakh (US$7,000)
First awarded2002
Last awarded2019
Highlights
Total awarded60
First winner
  • Shahuraj Birajdar
  • Ashok Diwan
  • Aparna Ghosh
Last winner
Dhyan Chand at 1936 Summer Olympics.

Instituted in 2002, the award is given only to the disciplines included in the events like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup along with Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports.[5] The nominations for a given year are accepted till 30 April or last working day of April. A nine-member committee evaluates the nominations and later submits their recommendations to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for further approval.[1]

The first recipients of the award were Shahuraj Birajdar (Boxing), Ashok Diwan (Hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (Basketball), who were honoured in 2002.[6] Usually conferred upon not more than three sportspersons in a year, a few exceptions have been made (2003, 2012–2013, and 2018–2019) when more recipients were awarded. The most recent recipients of the award are Manuel Frederick (Hockey), Arup Basak (Table Tennis), Manoj Kumar (Wrestling), Nitin Kirtane (Tennis), and C. Lalremsanga (Archery).[7]

Nominations

The nominations for the award are received from all government recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India, the Sports Promotion and Control Boards, and the state and the union territory governments with not more than two eligible sportspersons nominated for each sports discipline. The Sports Promotion and Control Boards of various Governments organizations includes the All India Police Sports Control Board, Army Sports Control Board, Railways Sports Promotion Board, Indian Navy Sports control Board, Air Force Sports Control Board, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, Air India Sports Promotion Board, SAIL Sports Promotion Board. In case of cricket, the nominations are received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India as there is no National Sports Federation recognised by the Government. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is authorised to submit the nominations on behalf of all the de-recognised or under suspension National Sports Federations. The previous award recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Award can also nominate one sportsperson for the discipline for which they themselves were awarded. The Government can nominate up to two sportspersons in deserving cases where no such nominations have been received from the nominating authorities. The nominations for a given year are accepted till 30 April or last working day of April.[1]

Selection process

All the received nominations are sent to SAI and concerned National Sports Federations for verification against the claimed achievements. The National Anti-Doping Agency is responsible for providing doping clearance. Any sportsperson who is either penalised or being investigated for use of drugs or substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency is not eligible for the award along with the previous award recipients of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, and Dronacharya Award. A committee consisting of the Joint Secretary and the Director/Deputy Secretary of Department of Sports, the Secretary and the Executive Director/Director (TEAMS) of SAI verify and validate the nominations.[1]

The valid nominations are considered by a selection committee constituted by the Government. This nine member committee consists of a Chairperson nominated by the Ministry; four members who are either Olympians or previous recipients of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna or Dhyan Chand awards; two sports journalists/experts/commentators; one sports administrator; and the Director General of SAI and the Joint Secretary of Department of Sports; with not more than one sportsperson from any particular discipline being included in the committee.[1] The medals won in various International championships and events in disciplines included in Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games are given 70% weightage. The remaining 30% weightage is given for contributions made towards promotion of sports after the candidate's retirement from an active sporting career. For any other games not included in Olympic, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games like cricket and indigenous games, individual performances are taken into consideration. The sportsperson with maximum points is given 70 marks, while the remaining candidates are given marks in proportion to the maximum points. For team events, marks are given per the strength of the team.[1] Following are the points defined for medals at the given events:

Points for winning medals for the performance during entire sporting career
Event Medal
 Gold  Silver  Bronze
Olympic Games/Paralympic Games 807055
World Championship/World Cup[lower-alpha 1] 403020
Asian Games 302520
Commonwealth Games 252015

For a given discipline, not more than two sportspersons, one male and one female, are given highest marks. The committee may not recommend the award to the sportsperson with the highest marks across disciplines but can only recommend the recipient of the highest aggregate marks in a particular sports discipline. The recommendations of the selection committee are submitted to the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for further approval.[1]

List of recipients
List of award recipients, showing the year and discipline(s)[8]
Year Recipient(s) Discipline(s) Refs.
2002 Shahuraj Birajdar Boxing [6]
2002 Ashok Diwan Hockey [6]
2002 Aparna Ghosh Basketball [6]
2003 Charles Cornelius Hockey [9]
2003 Ram Kumar Basketball [9]
2003 Dharam Singh Hockey [9]
2003 Om Prakash Volleyball [9]
2003 Smita Shirole Yadav Rowing [9]
2004 Digamber Mehendale Athletics (Physically challenged) [10]
2004 Hardayal Singh Hockey [10]
2004 Labh Singh Athletics [10]
2005 Maruti Mane Wrestling [11]
2005 Manoj Kumar Kothari Billiards & Snooker [11]
2005 Rajinder Singh Hockey [11]
2006 Harishchandra Birajdar Wrestling [12]
2006 Uday K. Prabhu Athletics [12]
2006 Nandy Singh Hockey [12]
2007 Rajinder Singh Wrestling [13]
2007 Shamsher Singh Kabaddi [13]
2007 Varinder Singh Hockey [13]
2008 Gian Singh Wrestling [3]
2008 Hakam Singh Athletics [3]
2008 Mukhbain Singh Hockey [3]
2009 Satbir Singh Dahiya Wrestling [4]
2009 Ishar Singh Deol Athletics [4]
2010 Anita Chanu Weightlifting [14]
2010 Satish Pillai Athletics [14]
2010 Kuldeep Singh Wrestling [14]
2011 Shabbir Ali Football [15]
2011 Sushil Kohli Swimming [15]
2011 Rajkumar Wrestling [15]
2012 Gundeep Kumar Hockey [16]
2012 Vinod Kumar Wrestling [16]
2012 Jagraj Singh Mann Athletics [16]
2012 Sukhbir Singh Tokas Para-Sports [16]
2013 Syed Ali Hockey [17]
2013 Anil Mann Wrestling [17]
2013 Mary D'Souza Sequeira Athletics [17]
2013 Girraj Singh Athletics (Parasports) [17]
2014 Zeeshan Ali Tennis [18]
2014 Gurmail Singh Hockey [18]
2014 K. P. Thakkar Swimming [18]
2015 Romeo James Hockey [19]
2015 Shiv Prakash Mishra Tennis [19]
2015 T. P. Padmanabhan Nair Volleyball [19]
2016 Sylvanus Dung Dung Hockey [20]
2016 Sathi Geetha Athletics [20]
2016 Rajendra Pralhad Shelke Rowing [20]
2017 Bhupender Singh Athletics [21]
2017 Syed Shahid Hakim Football [21]
2017 Sumrai Tete Hockey [21]
2018 Satyadev Prasad Archery [22]
2018 Bharat Chettri Hockey [22]
2018 Bobby Aloysius Athletics [22]
2018 Dadu Dattatray Chougale Wrestling [22]
2019 Manuel Frederick Hockey [7]
2019 Arup Basak Table Tennis [7]
2019 Manoj Kumar Wrestling [7]
2019 Nitin Kirtane Tennis [7]
2019 C. Lalremsanga Archery [7]

Controversies

In August 2015, the Ministry announced the award to Romeo James (Hockey), Shiv Prakash Mishra (Tennis), and T. P. Padmanabhan Nair (Volleyball).[19] A Public-Interest Litigation was filed in the Madras High Court by Paralympic athlete Ranjith Kumar Jayaseelan. The petitioner mentioned that he submitted the nomination after fulfilling the criteria by getting 60% for medals and 30% for contributing for sports promotion. Kumar requested to annul the award announced on three recipients. The Court ordered a notice to the Ministry seeking an explanation about the selection.[23]

Explanatory notes
  1. A World Championship/World Cup is generally organised every four years. For different cyclicities, proportionate marks are given.

References
  1. "Scheme for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games (Amended as on 3 February 2016)" (PDF). Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. 3 February 2016. p. 11. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. "Discover hockey's answer to Pele". BBC Sports Academy. BBC. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  3. "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna & Arjuna Awards announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 19 August 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  4. "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards and other Sports Awards Announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  5. "Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement in Sports and Games" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 7 February 2004. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  6. "President presents Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2002. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  7. "National Sports Awards 2018 announced; Bajrang Punia and Deepa Malik to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 20 August 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  8. "List of Dhyan Chand Awardees". Sports Authority of India. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  9. "Arjuna Awards, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya Awards given away" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2003. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  10. "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  11. "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  12. "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, 2005, Arjuna awards 2005, Dhyan Chand awards, 2006 and Dronacharya awards for the year 2005 Announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 23 August 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  13. "President gives away Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  14. "President Gives Away Sports and Adventure Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  15. "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards and other Sports Awards Announced" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  16. "President Gives Away National Sports and Adventure Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2012. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  17. "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  18. "National Sports Awards 2014" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 21 August 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  19. "National Sports and Adventure Awards" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  20. "National Sports Awards 2016" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  21. "National Sports Awards 2017" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  22. "National Sports Awards 2018 announced; Mirabai Chanu and Virat Kohli to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  23. "Notice to government on plea by Madurai paralympics athlete". The Times of India. Madurai. 29 August 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
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