Sports Ministry's major decision: Sports Awards will now be given in place of Dhyanchand Lifetime Achievement Award

On Thursday, the Union Sports Ministry made a big decision and decided to discontinue the Dhyanchand Lifetime Achievement Award from this year. As per the ministry, now in its place Arjuna Lifetime Award will be started. The Dhyanchand Lifetime Award, initiated in 2002 in the name of great hockey player Major Dhyanchand, is given to the players participating in the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games etc. The last date to apply for the National Sports Awards for the year 2024 is November 14.

In the year 2023 former badminton player Manjusha Kanwar, former hockey player Vineet Kumar and Kabaddi player Kavita Selvaraj were awarded. The ministry issued a statement stating, "The schemes relating to various awards in the sports sector have been rationalized in which Arjun Life Time Achievement Award has been initiated instead of the Dhyan Chand Award. To recognize the contribution made by coaches at the grassroots level, they have been made eligible under the Dronacharya Award".

The Sports Ministry informed that the Arjun Life Time Achievement Award has been introduced and will be given for the lifetime contribution to the development of sports. Other than this, the Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Trophy will be given to the university for the overall best performance in the Khelo India University Games to acknowledge the Khelo India Scheme.