Arjuna Award facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arjuna Award
Reward	₹15,00,000
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna >

The Arjuna Award is one of the highest honours given for sports in India. Its full name is "Arjuna Awards given for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games." This award is the second-highest sports honour in India. The highest is the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

The award gets its name from Arjuna, a famous character from the ancient Indian story Mahabharata. In this story, Arjuna is known for being very hardworking, dedicated, and focused. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports gives out this award every year. Before 1991–1992, the Arjuna Award was the top sports honour in India.

As of 2020, winners receive a bronze statuette (a small statue) of Arjuna. They also get a certificate, a special ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of ₹15,00,000 (about 1.5 million Indian rupees).

What is the Arjuna Award?

The Arjuna Award was started in 1961. It was created to celebrate the best sportspersons in India. Over the years, the rules for the award have changed and grown.

How Winners Are Chosen

People and groups can suggest names for the award. These include national sports groups, the Indian Olympic Association, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI). State governments and past award winners can also suggest names.

A special committee chosen by the Ministry picks the winners. They look for athletes who have performed very well in sports for four years. Winners must also show good leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.

What Sports Are Included?

The award now includes many different types of sports. Since 2018, it mainly focuses on sports played in big international events. These include the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. It also includes Cricket, traditional Indian games, and Para-sports (sports for people with disabilities).

Usually, about fifteen awards are given out each year. More awards might be given if athletes perform exceptionally well in major events. At least one award is always given to an athlete with a physical disability.

History of the Award

The Arjuna Award has changed over time to include more sports and categories.

• In 1977, it started including all recognized sports.
• In 1995, it added traditional Indian games and categories for athletes with disabilities.
• A special award for lifetime contributions was also added in 1995. This later became the separate Dhyan Chand Award in 2002.

Since 2001, the award is given only for certain types of sports:

• Sports played in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cup, or World Championship. This also includes Cricket.
• Traditional Indian Games.
• Sports for people with physical challenges.

Lists of Recipients

You can find lists of all the amazing athletes who have won the Arjuna Award.

By Year

By Sport

Olympic Sports

Non-Olympic Sports

Parasports

• Parasports

See Also

In Spanish: Premios Arjuna para niños