Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was conferred in the year 1991-92 by the government of India to honour individual sportspersons or a sports team giving the most spectacular and outstanding performance in the sports disciplines included in Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Billiards & Snooker and Chess in a year (April 1 to March 31). The objectives of the award is to enhance the sportspersons general status and also to give them greater dignity and a place of honour in society, to motivate the sportspersons to give their highest performance in sports events and to intensify the spread of sports culture throughout the country.

The award given, only once a year is decided by a Selection Committee of eminent sportspersons/sports administrators of longstanding and unimpeachable integrity constituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. Under the scheme the winner will receive a cash amount of Rs. 1 lakh and in case of a team event, the amount will be Rs. 50,000 to each member of the team. Apart from the cash award a scroll of honour, a plaque and a blazer, tie / scarf will be provided to each of the winners. However, if in the opinion of the Selection Committee, there is no performance deserving this award in a particular year, the award may not be given in that year. 

The proposals for the award can be submitted to the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports every year by the Members of Parliament, State Governments, Sports Authority of India or National Sports Federations by 31st of May for the preceding year ending 31st March accompanied by an application form on the prescribed proforma. For application proforma click on the link http://yas.nic.in/application9.html