Bombayla, Sonia and Bimoljit honoured with Arjun Awards

Imphal, August 29: The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Sports Awards at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday. State Olympian Archer Bombayla and weightlifter Ng. Sonia Chanu and Asian Games Gold Medalist Wusu player Bimoljit was honoured and they received the Arjun Awards in the glittering ceremony.

The President gave away the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya Awards as also the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. The Sports Awards were given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports to mark the National Sports Day.

This year Olympic medal winners, shooter Shri Vijay Kumar and wrestler, Shri Yogeshwar Dutt were honoured with 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.

The President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee and the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Ajay Maken with the sports and adventure awardees, in a glittering ceremony, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 29, 2012.

Twenty-five sportspersons were 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) were 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 were 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 were 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.