The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will present the National Sports Awards at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow (August 29, 2012). These will include the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya Awards as also the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. The Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.

This year Olympic medal winners, shooter Shri Vijay Kumar and wrestler, Shri Yogeshwar Dutt have been chosen for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for most outstanding performance in the field of sports. They will receive an amount of Rs. 7.5 lakhs each under this award.

Twenty-five sportspersons will be awarded with the Arjuna Awards. To be eligible for this award, a sportsperson should have not only good performance consistently for the previous three years at the international level with excellence for the year for which the award is recommended but also should have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline. The Award consists of a statuette, a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress and a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh.

Eight coaches (including two for lifetime achievement) will be awarded with the Dronacharya Awards given to outstanding coaches in sports and games. The Award comprises of a plaque, a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs.

Four sportspersons will be awarded with Dhyan Chand Awards for their lifetime achievement in sports and games. This Award was instituted in the year 2002 for honouring those sportspersons who have contributed to promotion of sports even after their retirement from an active sporting career. The Award consists of a cash award of Rs. 5 lakh, a plaque and a scroll of honour.

Four persons will be conferred with the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards for the year 2O11 to recognize their achievement in the field of adventure. The award carries a Statuette, a certificate and cash prize of Rs. 5 lakhs. In addition the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for the year 2012 will be awarded to four entities.