Dhyan Chand Award

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$12,000)
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,[1] 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.[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 2020, the award comprises a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh (US$12,000).[a][1]

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.[6] 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.[7] 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.

  1. ^ a b c "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. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Discover hockey's answer to Pele". BBC Sports Academy. BBC. 26 February 2004. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference DCA2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference DCA2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Khel Ratna awardees to receive 25 lakh, 15 lakh for Arjuna awardees". The Indian Express. 29 August 2020. Archived from the original on 16 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement in Sports and Games" (Press release). Press Information Bureau, India. 7 February 2004. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference DCA2002 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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