As the world’s biggest sporting extravaganza comes to an end, the government of India announced the National Sports Awards 2016. 

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has released a list of sportspersons and coaches who will be awarded for their spectacular contribution in the field of sports.

The awardees will receive the honours from the President of India at a specially organised function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29, 2016.

Here is the full list:

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

It is considered to be the highest sporting award in the country. The awardees receive a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh each. It is the for the first time ever that the government will confer this award to four athletes.

The winners are:

PV Sindhu – Badminton 

b’A file photo of PV Sindhu | Source: PTI’

Sakshi Malik – Wrestling 

b’A file photo of Sakshi Malik | Source: PTI’

While India’s favourite male wrestling stars failed to make any mark in this year’s Games, Sakshi Malik, a young girl from Haryana, won the nation’s hearts with her bronze.

Jitu Rai – Shooting 

b’A file photo of Jitu Rai | Source: PTI’

Although he wasn’t quite lucky at the Games, the ace shooter of Nepalese origin has had a wonderful stint in major tournaments like World Cup, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

Dipa Karmakar – Gymnastics 

b’A file photo of Dipa Karmakar | Source: PTI’

 

Dronacharya Awards

Here is the list:

Nagapuri Ramesh – Athletics

Sagar Mal Dhayal – Boxing

Raj Kumar Sharma – Cricket

b’Coach Bishweshwar Nandi (left) with Dipa Karmakar | Source: PTI’

Bishweshwar Nandi – Gymnastics

S. Pradeep Kumar – Swimming (Lifetime)

Mahabir Singh – Wrestling (Lifetime)

Arjuna Awards

Arjuna Award is given for consistently outstanding performance for four years. The awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs 5 lakh each.

Here is the list:

Rajat Chauhan – Archery

Lalita Babar – Athletics

Sourav Kothari – Billiards & Snooker

Shiva Thapa – Boxing

b’A file photo of Ajinkya Rahane | Source: PTI’

Ajinkya Rahane – Cricket

Subrata Paul – Football

Rani – Hockey

Raghunath V.R.- Hockey

Gurpreet Singh – Shooting

Apurvi Chandela – Shooting

b’A file photo of Subrata Paul | Source: PTI’

Soumyajit Ghosh – Table Tennis

Vinesh – Wrestling

Amit Kumar – Wrestling

Sandeep Singh Mann – Para-Athletics

Virender Singh – Wrestling (Deaf)

Dhyan Chand Award 

It is India’s highest award for  lifetime contribution to sports development. The awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs 5 lakh each.

Satti Geetha – Athletics

Sylvanus Dung Dung – Hockey

Rajendra Pralhad Shelke – Rowing

(With inputs from Press Information Bureau)