Sports Ministry hands over trophies to winners of National Sports Awards 2020

The winners of the National Sports Awards 2020 were handed over their trophies by the Union Sports Ministry on Monday. Along with the trophy, the winners also received a citation at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi.

The National Sports Awards felicitation event was graced by Honorable Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, along with Secretary of Sports Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary of Youth Affairs Usha Sharma and other top ministry and Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials.

The National Sports Awards 2020 winners had already received the cash awards. But they were not able to collect their trophies and citations during last year's event when the ceremony was held virtually owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read: Union Sports Minister announces restructuring of SAI's workforce among other key decisions

The Sports Ministry handed over a total of 74 National Sports Awards, including five Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratnas and 27 Arjuna Awards on August 29, 2020.

The National Sports Awards 2020 ceremony was attended by many awardees, including Rani Rampal, Vinesh Phogat and Mariyappan Thangavelu, who received the prestigious Khel Ratna Award.

Lovlina Borgohain, Ishant Sharma, Atanu Das, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty were among those who received the Arjuna Award.

Addressing all the winners of the National Sports Awards, Anurag Thakur said that the awards are a reward for the dedication and hard work of the athletes. He also urged the senior athletes to take responsibility for grooming at least five promising talents.

"The National Sports Awards is a prestigious award that is won by athletes after years of dedication and hard work," he said. "Congratulations to all the awardees and the very best for their future events. The journey of the awardees doesn't end here, there is more to be achieved.

"We must also continue to look for talented athletes, groom them and make them capable of winning medals at the international level," he added. "I request all athletes to take a pledge of at least grooming and training five athletes who can win medals for India in the future."

Winners of National Sports Awards in 2020

Anurag Thakur felicitates the recipients of Dhyan Chand Award 2020, Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020 & MAKA Trophy at the National Sports Awards 2020 ceremony (Image credits: SAI)

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: Rohit Sharma (Cricket), Mariyappan Thangavelu (Para-Athletics), Manika Batra (Table Tennis), Vinesh Phogat (Wrestling), Rani Rampal (Hockey).

Arjuna Award: Atanu Das (Archery), Dutee Chand (Athletics), Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (Badminton), Chirag Chandrasekhar Shetty (Badminton), Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (Basketball), Manish Kaushik (Boxing), Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing), Ishant Sharma (Cricket), Deepti Sharma (Cricket), Sawant Ajay Anant (Equestrian), Sandesh Jhingan (Football), Aditi Ashok (Golf), Akashdeep Singh (Hockey), Deepika (Hockey), Deepak (Kabaddi), Kale Sarika Sudhakar (Kho Kho), Dattu Baban Bhokanal (Rowing), Manu Bhaker (Shooting), Saurabh Chaudhary (Shooting), Madhurika Patkar (Table Tennis), Divij Sharan (Tennis), Shiva Keshavan (Winter Sports), Divya Kakran (Wrestling), Rahul Aware (Wrestling), Suyash Narayan Jadhav (Para-Swimming), Sandeep (Para-Athletics), Manish Narwal (Para Shooting).

Dronacharya Award (Life-Time Category): Dharmendra Tiwary (Archery), Purushotham Rai (Athletics), Shiv Singh (Boxing), Romesh Pathania (Hockey), Krishan Kumar Hooda (Kabaddi), Vijay Bhalchandra Munishwar (Para Powerlifting), Naresh Kumar (Tennis), Om Parkash Dahiya (Wrestling).

Dronacharya (Regular Category): Jude Felix (Hockey), Yogesh Malviya (Mallakhamb), Jaspal Rana (Shooting), Kuldeep Kumar Handoo (Wushu), Gaurav Khanna (Para Badminton).

Dhyan Chand Award: Kuldip Singh Bhullar (Athletics), Jincy Philips (Athletics), Pradeep Shrikrishna Gandhe (Badminton), Trupti Murgunde (Badminton), N Usha(Boxing), Lakha Singh (Boxing), Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu (Football), Ajit Singh (Hockey), Manpreet Singh (Kabaddi), J Ranjith Kumar (Para-Athletics), Satyaprakash Tiwari (Para Badminton), Manjeet Singh (Rowing), Late Shri Sachin Nag (Swimming), Nandan Bal (Tennis), Netarpal Hooda (Wrestling).

Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards: Anita Devi (Land Adventure), Col Sarfraz Singh (Land Adventure), Taka Tamut (Land Adventure), Keval Hiren Kakka (Land Adventure), Satendra Singh (Water Adventure), Gajanand Yadava (Air Adventure), Late Magan Bissa (Life Time Achievement).

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy: Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent: Lakshya Institute, Army Sports Institute.

Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd.

Employment of sportspersons and sports welfare measures: Air Force Sports Control Board.

Sports for Development: International Institute of Sports Management (IISM).