The Arjuna Award was instituted in 1961 as
the highest national recognition for outstanding performance in
Sports and Games in the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World
Cup, World Championship disciplines and Cricket.
However, controversy over selection has dogged the awards ever since its
inception in 1961. As per the revised scheme from April 2002, the
objective of Arjuna Awards is to recognize outstanding performance of sports
persons, at international level only.
The winners
will be decided by a Selection Committee
comprising of a Chairperson, who is a sports person of eminence and 12 other
members distinguished in the field of sports including 5 Olympians and 4 Arjuna
Awardees from different disciplines, 2 Sports Administrators and a
Member-Secretary of the Committee who would be the Director/Deputy Secretary
(Sports) from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Chairperson of the
Committee in consultation with the Member-Secretary may constitute panels from
among its members to assist the Committee in choosing the winners. Under the
scheme, the
awardee is given a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll and a cash
prize of 3 lakh rupees along with a monogram, a blazer and a tie.
Only international level performance
of sportspersons will be taken into account when deciding the awardees. Sports
persons found positive for use of drugs banned by the International Olympic
Committee in any laboratory accredited by International Olympic Committee will
not be eligible for the Arjuna Awards. The maximum number
of awards given in a year would be 15, one award in each discipline. However,
in the year succeeding Asian Games and Commonwealth Games an exception could be
made for a second award being given to a sports person in those disciplines in
which more than 5 medals have been won in the Asian/Commonwealth Games.
The nominations for the award will
be invited by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from all recognized
National Sports Federations recognized by the Government of India, Indian
Olympic Association (IOA) and State/UT Governments in the month of January each
year. As per the revised scheme, the last date for the receipt of nominations
will be 31st May of the same year.
