Why in news?

 Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry has announced the National Sports Awards 2022.

Highlights

• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: Table Tennis player Sharath Kamal Achanta
• Arjuna Awards : Presented to 25 sportspersons including Seema Punia, Lakshya Sen, Nikhat Zareen, R Praggnanandhaa, Deep Grace Ekka, Sushila Devi, Sagar Kailas Ovhalkar, Omprakash Mitharval, Vikas Thakur, Manasi Girishchandra Joshi among others.
• Five coaches have been chosen for Dronacharya Award in the regular category and three coaches in lifetime category.
• Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement : Ashwini Akkunji C, Dharamvir Singh, B.C Suresh and Nir Bahadur Gurung.
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar : TransStadia Enterprises Private Limited, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology and Ladakh Ski and Snowboard Association
• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy 2022 : Guru Nanak Dev University of Amritsar. National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

• This award is the highest sporting honour of India.
• Method of selection : Committee constituted by the Ministry and is honoured for their “spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years” at international level
• The award : medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh
• Formerly called Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
• First winner: Viswanathan Anand

Arjuna Award

• Second-highest sporting honour of India, started in 1961
• It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
• Award :A bronze statuette of Arjuna, certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs15 lakh
• The latest : 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 Para sports.
• Method of selection : Committee constituted by the Ministry and is honoured for their “spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years” at international level
• Recommends giving only fifteen awards in a year, relaxing in case of excellent performance and giving at least one award to physically challenged category.

Dronacharya Award

• It is sports coaching honour of the Republic of India.
• Two awards are designated for the lifetime contribution in coaching with “outstanding sportspersons” over a period of 20 years or more are considered.
• Award : A bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh
• First recipients : Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat (Wrestling), Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing), and O. M. Nambiar (Athletics), who were honoured in 1985.
• Usually conferred upon not more than five coaches in a year, a few exceptions have been made

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar

• This award is given to corporate entities in private and public sector, Sports Control Boards, NGOs, including sports bodies at the State and National level, who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.