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DRONACHARYA AWARD: INDIA’S HIGHEST COACHING HONOUR

What is the Dronacharya Award?

The Dronacharya Award is India’s highest coaching honour, recognising outstanding coaches in sports and games. It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Key facts

Award criteria: The award honours coaches who have done outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis, enabling sportspersons to excel in international events over a period of four years.

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

History: Instituted in 1985, the award is given to coaches in disciplines included in major international events, such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

Notable aspects

The award is named after Drona, a character from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, known for his expertise in military warfare and his role as a royal preceptor.

Two awards are designated for lifetime contribution in coaching, recognising achievements over a period of 20 years or more.

Did you know?

The Dronacharya Award is given to coaches who have produced outstanding sportspersons and the selection process involves a thorough evaluation of nominations, including verification of achievements and doping clearance.

List of winners 2024

Regular Category

S. No.           Name of the Coach                                 Discipline

1                     Subhash Rana                                               Para-Shooting

2                     Ms. Deepali Deshpande                               Shooting

3                     Sandeep Sangwan                                         Hockey