Some of India's celebrated sports stars will be honoured on the 2020 National Sports Day. Thanks to coronavirus pandemic, the Sports Ministry has decided to hold the function virtually. (More Sports News)
This is the first time that the National Sports Day is being held online, instead of the traditional Rashtrapati Bhavan do, on August 29. India celebrates the birthday of hockey legend Dhyan Chand as National Sports Day every year.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) said that 65 of the 74 awardees will attend the first-ever virtual National Sports Awards from its centres across the country due to the pandemic.
Nine award winners, including three who have tested positive for COVID-19, will not attend the ceremony.
The SAI further said all health and safety protocols, keeping with the guidelines of the Health Ministry, are being followed at the venues where dignitaries and awardees will be present.
"... the Sports Ministry has advised every award winner to undergo a COVID-19 19 test before reporting to the venue. All centers have been thoroughly sanitised and arrangements have been made to ensure social distancing during the awards function," SAI added.
All you need to know about the ceremony:
What: National Sports & Adventure Awards, on the occasion of 2020 National Sports Day.
When: August 29 (Saturday), 2020. Starts at 10:45 AM IST.
Where: Virtual
TV Listing: Doordarshan
Live Streaming: webcast.gov.in
But how?
President Ram Nath Kovind will present the awards to the winners in virtual mode. He will be attending from the President's house, via video conferencing, while the recipients will be present at SAI centres in various locations across the country.
Sports Minister Kiren Riju and other officials of the ministry and dignitaries will be present in Vigyan Bhawan for the award ceremony.
List of awardees:
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: Rohit Sharma (Cricket), Mariyappan T. (Para Athletics), Manika Batra (Table Tennis), Vinesh (Wrestling), Rani (Hockey)
Dronacharya Award (Lifetime category): Dharmendra Tiwary (Archery), Purushotham Rai (Athletics), Shiv Singh (Boxing), Romesh Pathania (Hockey), Krishan Kumar Hooda (Kabaddi), Vijay Bhalchandra Munishwar (Para Powerlifting), Naresh Kumar (Tennis), Om Parkash Dahiya (Wrestling).
Dronacharya Award (Regular category): Jude Felix Sebastian (Hockey), Yogesh Malviya (Mallakhamb), Jaspal Rana (Shooting), Kuldeep Kumar Handoo (Wushu), Gaurav Khanna (Para Badminton)
Arjuna Award: Atanu Das (Archery), Dutee Chand (Athletics), Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (Badminton), Chirag Chandrasekhar Shetty (Badminton), Vishesh Bhriguvanshi (Basketball), Subedar Manish Kaushik (Boxing), Lovlina Borgohain (Boxing), Ishant Sharma (Cricket), Deepti Sharma (Cricket), Sawant Ajay Anant (Equestrian), Sandesh Jhingan (Football), Aditi Ashok (Golf), Akashdeep Singh (Hockey), Deepika (Hockey), Deepak (Kabaddi), Kale Sarika Sudhakar (Kho Kho), Dattu Baban Bhokanal (Rowing), Manu Bhaker (Shooting), Saurabh Chaudhary (Shooting), Madhurika Suhas Patkar (Table Tennis), Divij Sharan (Tennis), Shiva Keshavan (Winter Sports), Divya Kakran (Wrestling), Rahul Aware (Wrestling), Suyash Narayan Jadhav (Para Swimming), Sandeep Para (Athletics) Manish Narwal (Para Shooting)
Dhyan Chand Award: Kuldip Singh Bhullar (Athletics), Jincy Philips (Athletics), Pradeep Shrikrishna Gandhe (Badminton), Trupti Murgunde (Badminton), N. Usha (Boxing), Lakha Singh (Boxing), Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu (Football), Ajit Singh (Hockey), Manpreet Singh (Kabaddi), J. Ranjith Kumar (Para Athletics), Satyaprakash Tiwari (Para Badminton), Manjeet Singh (Rowing), Late Shri Sachin Nag (Swimming), Nandan P Bal (Tennis), Netarpal Hooda (Wrestling).
Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2019: Anita Devi, Sarfraz Singh, Taka Tamut, Narender Singh, Keval Hiren Kakka, Satendra Singh (All Land Adventure), Gajanand Yadava (Air Adventure), Magan Bissa (Life Time Achievement).
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy: Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: Lakshya Institute and Army Sports Institute for Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent; Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Ltd. for Encouragement to sports through Corporate Social Responsibility; Air Force Sports Control Board for Employment of sportspersons and sports welfare measures; International Institute of Sports Management (IISM) for Sports for Development.
