Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The President of India Ram Nath Kovind will virtually confer the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2020 on the occasion of National Sports Day on August 29, 2020.
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, President of the Indian Olympic Association Narendra Dhruv Batra,and several other dignitaries will attend the ceremony from Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Sixty-five awardees are expected to attend the ceremony. The awardees will attend the ceremony from various places across the country – Bengaluru, Pune, Sonepat, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Hyderabad, and Itanagar.
The Ceremony will be launched at 11 am on August 29, 2020. The event will be telecast live on Doordarshan and streamed live on https://webcast.gov.in/myas/sportsawards/.
Sports Awards are given every year to recognise and reward excellence in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years preceding the award ; Arjuna Award is given for consistent outstanding performance for four years; Dronacharya Award goes to the coaches for producing medal winners at prestigious international sports events; Dhyan Chand Award is for life time contribution to sports development and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar is given to the corporate entities (both in private and public sector) and individuals who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.
Overall top performing university in inter-university tournaments is given Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, according to a PIB release. In addition to these Sports Awards, the spirit of adventure among the people of the country is recognised by bestowing the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. In a first-ever endeavour, the first National Sports and Adventure Award 2020 is being conducted virtually on August 29, 2020.
Table Tennis player Manika Batra will receive the prestigious Khel Ratna Award, two years after receiving the Arjuna from the President. “We have to accept the fact that the pandemic has brought life to a standstill but I am no less excited about this ceremony,” said the star paddler.