Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Awards Announced

New Delhi, August 19, 2012: The government has announced the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Arjuna Awards for the year 2012, here today.

A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which were considered by Selection Committee consisting of eminent sportspersons and sports administrators; headed by Col Rajya Vardhan Singh Rathore. Based on the recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the government has approved to confer awards upon the following sportspersons. 

           

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award - 2012:

Vijay Kumar            Shooting

Yogeshwar Dutt    Wrestling

Arjuna Awards 2012:

Deepika Kumari     Archery

Laishram Bombayla Devi           Archery

Sudha Singh           Athletics

Kavita Ramdas Raut        Athletics

Ashwani Ponnappa          Badminton

Parupalli Kashyap            Badminton

Aditya S. Mehta     Billiards & Snooker

Vikas Krishan         Boxing

Yuvraj Singh           Cricket

Sardar Singh          Hockey

Yashpal Solanki     Judo

Anup Kumar           Kabaddi

Samir Suhag           Polo

Annu Raj Singh      Shooting

Omkar Singh           Shooting

Joydeep Karmakar          Shooting

Deepika Pallikal     Squash

Sandeep Sejwal    Swimming

Ng. Sonia Chanu   Weightlifting

Narsingh Yadav     Wrestling

Rajinder Kumar     Wrestling

Geeta Phogat         Wrestling

M. Bimoljit Singh    Wushu

Deepa Mallick         Athletics – Paralympics

Ramkaran Singh   Athletics – Paralympics

Normally  only one award of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna  is given every year to an individual sportsperson. However, the Scheme provides that this condition can be relaxed in exceptional circumstances viz., winning of an Olympic medal. Likewise for the Arjuna Awards, normally not more than 15 awards are to be given in any calendar year.  However, the Scheme of Arjuna Awards also provides that keeping in view the performance of Indian sportspersons in the Commonwealth, Asian Games and Olympic Games during a particular year, Arjuna Awards exceeding 15 in number may be allowed with proper justification and approval of the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports.  The Selection Committee noted that 2012 is the Olympic year and India has won 6 medals in the London Olympics, which is country’s best performance in Olympic Games, and recommended that the condition of one award in case of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and 15 awards in case of Arjuna Awards may be relaxed and the number of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award may be increased from 1 to 2 and Arjun Awards may be increased from 15 to 25 .

National Sports Awards are given every year to recognise and reward excellence in sports.  Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for spectacular performance in the year under consideration; Arjuna Award is given for consistently outstanding performance for three consecutive years preceding the year of award.            

 

Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees will receive a cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh each and Arjuna Awardees will receive statuettes, citations and cash prize of Rs.5 lakh each. 

The awardees will receive their awards from His Excellency the President of India at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29this year.