The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has unveiled the prestigious National Sports Awards 2023, honoring the exceptional dedication and prowess of athletes and coaches across diverse disciplines.
The athletes will receive their awards from the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, in a ceremony set to take place at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9th, 2024. These awards recognize outstanding performances and commend the unwavering commitment of individuals and teams.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award will be presented to the outstanding duo of Chirag Chandrashekhar Shetty and Rankireddy Satwik Sai Raj, acknowledging their unparalleled contributions.
A total of 26 exceptional sports personalities will receive the esteemed Arjuna Awards, honoring their sporting prowess, leadership, and discipline exhibited consistently over the last four years.
Recognizing coaching excellence, the Dronacharya Award will honor coaches who have guided athletes to international success, while the Dhyan Chand Award will pay homage to esteemed sportspersons leaving an enduring impact on Indian sports.
The meticulous selection process, led by a panel chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice A. M. Khanwilkar, ensures the recognition of deserving talent across the sporting spectrum.
Additionally, the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy acknowledges universities fostering athletic excellence at the collegiate level.
These awards symbolize not just individual accomplishments but also serve as an inspiration to aspiring athletes and enthusiasts nationwide, highlighting the relentless pursuit of excellence and sportsmanship.
The upcoming ceremony will celebrate the dedication of these individuals who have brought glory to the nation through their extraordinary sporting feats.
Arjuna Awardees 2023:
1. Ojas Pravin Deotale – Archery
2. Aditi Gopichand Swami – Archery
3. Sreeshankar M – Athletics
4. Parul Chaudhary – Athletics
5. Mohameed Hussamuddin – Boxing
6. R Vaishali – Chess
7. Mohammed Shami – Cricket
8. Anush Agarwalla – Equestrian
9. Divyakriti Singh – Equestrian Dressage
10. Diksha Dagar – Golf
11. Krishan Bahadur Pathak – Hockey
12. Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu – Hockey
13. Pawan Kumar – Kabaddi
14. Ritu Negi – Kabaddi
15. Nasreen – Kho-Kho
16. Pinki – Lawn Bowls
17. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar – Shooting
18. Esha Singh – Shooting
19. Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu – Squash
20. Ayhika Mukherjee – Table Tennis
21. Sunil Kumar – Wrestling
22. Antim – Wrestling
23. Naorem Roshibina Devi – Wushu
24. Sheetal Devi – Para Archery
25. Illuri Ajay Kumar Reddy – Blind Cricket
26. Prachi Yadav – Para Canoeing
Dronacharya Award 2023:
(Regular Category)
1. Lalit Kumar – Wrestling
2. RB Ramesh – Chess
3. Mahaveer Prasad Saini – Para Athletics
4. Shivendra Singh – Hockey
5. Ganesh Prabhakar Devrukhkar – Mallakhamb
(Lifetime Category)
1. Jaskirat Singh Grewal – Golf
2. Bhaskaran E – Kabaddi
3. Jayanta Kumar Pushilal – Table Tennis
Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games 2023:
1. Manjusha Kanwar – Badminton
2. Vineet Kumar Sharma – Hockey
3. Kavitha Selvaraj – Kabaddi
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023:
(University Awards)
1. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar – Overall winner university
2. Lovely Professional University, Punjab – 1st runner-up University
3. Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra – 2nd runner-up University