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ARJUNA AWARD: INDIA’S SECOND-HIGHEST SPORTING HONOUR

What is the Arjuna Award?

The Arjuna Award is India’s second-highest sporting honour, recognising outstanding performance in sports and games. It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Key facts

Award criteria: The award honours good performance in sports over a period of four years at the international level, showcasing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.

Recipients: The award comprises a bronze statuette of Arjuna, certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

History: Instituted in 1961, the award has undergone several expansions and revisions, including the introduction of indigenous games and parasports categories.

Notable aspects

The award is named after Arjuna, a character from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, symbolising hard work, dedication and concentration.

The award was the highest sporting honour of India before the introduction of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 1991-1992.

Did you know?

The Arjuna Award is given only to disciplines included in major international events, such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, as well as cricket, indigenous games and parasports.