Dhyan Chand Award

In this article we will explore Dhyan Chand Award, a topic that has captured the attention of experts and hobbyists alike. Dhyan Chand Award is a topic that has been the subject of debate in contemporary society, awakening the interest of various disciplines and sectors. Throughout history, Dhyan Chand Award has been the protagonist of important events that have marked the evolution of humanity, and its relevance continues in today's world. Through detailed, multidisciplinary analysis, we aim to shed light on the many aspects that make Dhyan Chand Award such an intriguing and significant topic. Through the exploration of its origins, implications, and future projections, we hope to offer the reader a deeper and broader understanding of Dhyan Chand Award, thereby broadening their perspective and knowledge on this fascinating subject.

Not to be confused with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

Dhyan Chand Award
Awarded forLifetime Achievement sporting honour in India
Sponsored byGovernment of India
Reward(s)₹10 lakh (US$13,000)
First awarded2002
Last awarded2023
Highlights
Total awarded87
First winner
  • Shahuraj Birajdar
  • Ashok Diwan
  • Aparna Ghosh
Last winner
A Black and White photo of man holding hockey stick in his right hand.
Dhyan Chand at the 1936 Summer Olympics.

The Major Dhyan Chand Award, officially known as Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games, is the lifetime achievement sporting honour of the Republic of India. The award is named after hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand (1905–79), a legendary Indian field hockey player who scored more than 1000 international goals during a career which spanned over 20 years from 1926 to 1948. 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 2020, the award comprises a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh (US$13,000).

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. 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.

The first recipients of the award were Shahuraj Birajdar (Boxing), Ashok Diwan (Hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (Basketball), who were honoured in 2002. Usually conferred upon not more than three sportspersons in a year, a few exceptions have been made (2003, 2012–2013, and 2018–2020) when more recipients were awarded.

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.

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 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, 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.

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. 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. 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 80 70 55
World Championship/World Cup 40 30 20
Asian Games 30 25 20
Commonwealth Games 25 20 15

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.

Recipients

Key
   # Indicates a posthumous honour
List of award recipients, showing the year and discipline(s)
Year Recipient(s) Discipline(s) Refs.
2002 Shahuraj Birajdar Boxing
2002 Ashok Diwan Hockey
2002 Aparna Ghosh Basketball
2003 Charles Cornelius Hockey
2003 Ram Kumar Basketball
2003 Dharam Singh Hockey
2003 Om Prakash Volleyball
2003 Smita Shirole Yadav Rowing
2004 Digamber Mehendale Athletics (Physically challenged)
2004 Hardayal Singh Hockey
2004 Labh Singh Athletics
2005 Maruti Mane Wrestling
2005 Manoj Kumar Kothari Billiards & Snooker
2005 Rajinder Singh Hockey
2006 Harishchandra Birajdar Wrestling
2006 Uday K. Prabhu Athletics
2006 Nandy Singh Hockey
2007 Rajinder Singh Wrestling
2007 Shamsher Singh Kabaddi
2007 Varinder Singh Hockey
2008 Gian Singh Wrestling
2008 Hakam Singh Athletics
2008 Mukhbain Singh Hockey
2009 Satbir Singh Dahiya Wrestling
2009 Ishar Singh Deol Athletics
2010 Anita Chanu Weightlifting
2010 Satish Pillai Athletics
2010 Kuldeep Singh Wrestling
2011 Shabbir Ali Football
2011 Sushil Kohli Swimming
2011 Rajkumar Baisla Wrestling
2012 Gundeep Kumar Hockey
2012 Vinod Kumar Wrestling
2012 Jagraj Singh Mann Athletics
2012 Sukhbir Singh Tokas Para-Sports
2013 Syed Ali Hockey
2013 Anil Mann Wrestling
2013 Mary D'Souza Sequeira Athletics
2013 Girraj Singh Athletics (Parasports)
2014 Zeeshan Ali Tennis
2014 Gurmail Singh Hockey
2014 K. P. Thakkar Swimming
2015 Romeo James Hockey
2015 Shiv Prakash Mishra Tennis
2015 T. P. Padmanabhan Nair Volleyball
2016 Sylvanus Dung Dung Hockey
2016 Sathi Geetha Athletics
2016 Rajendra Pralhad Shelke Rowing
2017 Bhupender Singh Athletics
2017 Syed Shahid Hakim Football
2017 Sumrai Tete Hockey
2018 Satyadev Prasad Archery
2018 Bharat Chettri Hockey
2018 Bobby Aloysius Athletics
2018 Dadu Dattatray Chougale Wrestling
2019 Manuel Frederick Hockey
2019 Arup Basak Table Tennis
2019 Manoj Kumar Wrestling
2019 Nitin Kirtane Tennis
2019 Chhangte Lalremsanga Archery
2020 Kuldip Singh Bhullar Athletics
2020 Jincy Philips Athletics
2020 Pradeep Shrikrishna Gandhe Badminton
2020 Trupti Murgunde Badminton
2020 Usha Nagisetty Boxing
2020 Lakha Singh Boxing
2020 Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu Football
2020 Ajit Pal Singh Hockey
2020 Manpreet Singh Kabaddi
2020 Ranjith Kumar Jayaseelan Para Athletics
2020 Satyaprakash Tiwari Para Badminton
2020 Manjeet Singh Rowing
2020 Sachin Nag Swimming
2020 Nandan Bal Tennis
2020 Netarpal Hooda Wrestling
2021 Lekha K.C. Boxing
2021 Abhijit Kunte Chess
2021 Davinder Singh Hockey
2021 Vikas Kumar Kabaddi
2021 Sajan Singh Wrestling
2022 Ashwini Akkunji Athletics
2022 Dharamvir Singh Hockey
2022 B.C. Suresh Kabaddi
2022 Nir Bahadur Gurung Para Athletics
2023 Manjusha Kanwar Badminton
2023 Vineet Kumar Sharma Hockey
2023 Kavitha Selvaraj Kabaddi

Controversies

In August 2015, the Ministry announced the award to Romeo James (Hockey), Shiv Prakash Mishra (Tennis), and T. P. Padmanabhan Nair (Volleyball). 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.

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ The cash prize was revised from ₹3 lakh (US$3,800) to ₹5 lakh (US$6,300) in 2009, and to ₹10 lakh (US$13,000) in 2020.
  2. ^ A World Championship/World Cup is generally organised every four years. For different cyclicities, proportionate marks are given.

References

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