Arjuna (premium)

The Arjuna Award is a cash reward of 500 thousand rupees . Awarding the prize is also accompanied by the presentation of a memorable figurine in the form of an archer - Arjuna , ceremonial clothing and a certificate of honor. The award was established in 1961 .

The Arjuna Prize is awarded by a special commission appointed by the Government of India. Nominee sports federations, state governments and the National Olympic Committee of India, as well as the General Director of the Ministry of Sports and the laureates of the highest sports award of India, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, are eligible to nominate candidates.

According to the new charter of the prize, it is awarded to athletes who have shown consistently high results in their sport over the past three years (with a posthumous award, the condition of stable results for three years may not be fulfilled). An additional requirement is a demonstration of leadership, athletic spirit and discipline. So, a prize cannot be received by an athlete who is disqualified for consuming prohibited drugs .

The award is given for performance in competitions that meet one of the following definitions:

• Olympic Games , Asian Games , Commonwealth Games , Championships and World Cups, International Cricket Tournaments
• Indigenous Games
• disabled sporting events

In general, it is recommended to award a prize to no more than one athlete in each sport per year, and the total number of recipients should not exceed 15 per year. However, there are a number of exceptions to this principle:

• At least one prize is awarded to a disabled athlete
• The prize can be awarded to more than one athlete in the form of sport, if the laureates of different sexes
• The restriction does not apply to team sports

According to the charter, an athlete cannot receive the Arjuna award a second time.

Most of the winners of the Arjuna Prize in Athletics : since 1961, more than 80 Indian athletes received awards, including seven in 2000, five in 1998, and four in 1987 and 1999 ^[4] . More than 70 winners in field hockey , including eleven in 1998 and six in 2000 ^[3] . Over 40 winners are in cricket, more than 30 winners - in wrestling, boxing, weightlifting. A significant number of athletes have received awards for success in competitions in non-Olympic sports such as kabaddi ^[4] , Kho Kho , billiards and snooker, golf, polo, squash and bodybuilding.

• Arjuna Award on the website of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of India
• List of laureates (inaccessible link) on the website of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of India
• Charter of the award (inaccessible link) (eng.)