Who has been honoured with Arjuna Award recently?

The Arjuna Award is one of the most prestigious sports awards in India, given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize outstanding achievements in various sports. The award was instituted in 1961 and is named after Arjuna, a legendary archer in Hindu mythology who symbolized hard work, dedication and concentration.

The award consists of a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a certificate, a ceremonial dress and a cash prize of Rs. 15 lahks. The recipients are selected by a committee based on their performance in the field of sports over a period of four years at the international level and their qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.

The award is given only to the disciplines included in the events like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup along with Cricket, Indigenous Games and Parasports. The award is limited to 15 recipients per year but can be relaxed in case of exceptional performance in major multi-sport events, team sports, across gender and for the physically challenged category.

The list of Arjuna Award winners for 2023 was released on November 15, 2023, and was felicitated by the President of India on 30th November 2023. A total of 25 sportspersons were honoured on 30th November 2023. Some of the notable names among them are:

These sportspersons have made India proud with their remarkable achievements in their respective fields and have inspired many young aspirants to pursue their dreams. They have also shown exemplary qualities of sportsmanship, leadership and discipline that are essential for any sportsperson. The Arjuna Award is a fitting tribute to their hard work and dedication.