Named after the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is the highest Sporting honour in India. it is given to the best sportsperson across all sports discipline. it was initiated in the year 1991 and the first award goes to the world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.
Captain Virat Kohli and world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu awarded prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna on 25th September 2018. President Ram Nath Kovind conferred the highest Sports Award to the two Sporting persons, who made India proud. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award is given for The Spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sports person over a period of 4 years.
Virat Kohli- National Sports Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Winner 2018
- No. 1 Test batsman in the world.
- 71 Tests: 6147 runs, 23 centuries.
- 211 ODls: 9779 runs, 35 centuries.
- Shot to fame in 2008.
- Led India to victory in Under-19 World Cup at Kuala Lumpur.
- Joined the senior team in Sri Lanka in August 2008.
- Played commendable knocks after being given a chance to open the batting in ODI series.
- Virat Kohali Selected for the second time in 2009 continued with impressive scores, given an extended run by selectors.
- Notched up maiden ODI hundred against Sri Lanka in December 2009.
- Handed Test cap for West Indies tour in 2011.
- Put up an intrepid batting display during India’s tour to Australia in 2012.
- Handed over vice-captaincy of Indian team ahead of Asia Cup in 2012.
- Ended tournament as highest run-getter.
- Captaioned Indian ODI team first against Sri Lanka in a Triangular ODI series.
- Tasted success of full-fledged captaincy in Zimbabwe, achieved 5-0 clean sweep.
- Virat Kohli Registered fastest ODI century by an Indian, off just 52 balls against Australia in October 2013.
- Led India to a 5-0 routing of Sri Lanka in ODI series in November 2014.
- Only Indian captain to have affected a 5-0 whitewash home and away in ODI cricket.
- Virat Kohli made captain of Test team in December 2014.
- Amassed over 2500 international runs at an average of 86.50 with seven centuries and 13 half centuries from 40 innings in 2016.
- The first batsman to register a double century in four successive Test series.
- Amassed close to 1000 runs in 2010.
- Scored century in maiden World Cup match against Bangladesh in 2011.
- Crucial 83-run stand with Gautam Gambhir in 2011 WC final against Sri Lanka 9.
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu: National Sports Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Winner 2018
- Won a silver medal in 2014 Commonwealth Games.
- Broke the 12-year-old record in 48 kg weightlifting in 2016 during Rio Olympics trials.
- Clinched gold at World Weightlifting Championship in Anaheim, California in 2017.
- Became only the second Indian to win gold at the event.
A large number of nominations were received this year. the winners were decided by the selection committee consisting of former Olympians Arjuna awardees, Dronacharya awardees etc. The National Sports Award comprise The Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award and the dance and Dhyan Chand award.
National Sports Awards: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awarded annually named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
- Outstanding sports performance at international level over a period of four years.
- Outstanding performance at Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, equivalent recognised international tournaments.
- Recipients selected by a committee.
- Medallion, certificate, a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh.
- Tainted sportspersons not eligible.
- Nominations open for National Sports Awards till April each year.
- Two nominations from each sports discipline.
- Khel Ratna given to individual sportsperson every year.
National Sports Awards: Arjuna Awards
- Consistent outstanding performance for four years at the international level Initiated in 1961.
- A cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, bronze statue, scroll International level, Indigenous Games, Para-sports.
Arjuna Award Winner List 2018
| S.n | Arjuna Award | Discipline |
| 1 | Neeraj Chopra | Athletics |
| 2 | Naib Subedar Jinson Jhonson | Athletics |
| 3 | Hima Das | Athletics |
| 4 | Nelakurthi Sikki Reddy | Badminton |
| 5 | Subedar Satish Kumar | Boxing |
| 6 | Smriti Mandhana | Cricket |
| 7 | Shubhankar Sharma | Golf |
| 8 | Manpreet Singh | Hockey |
| 9 | Savita | Hockey |
| 10 | Col. Ravi Rathore | Polo |
| 11 | Rahi Sarnobat | Shooting |
| 12 | Ankur Mittal | Shooting |
| 13 | Shreyasi Singh | Shooting |
| 14 | Manika Batra | Table Tennis |
| 15 | G. Sathiyan | Table Tennis |
| 16 | Rohan Bopanna | Tennis |
| 17 | Sumit | Wrestling |
| 18 | Pooja Kadian | Wushu |
National Sports Awards: Dronacharya Awards
- Presented to coaches.
- Instituted in 1985.
- A bronze statue of Dronacharya, certificate, cash prize of Rs 5 lakhs.
Dronacharya Award Winner List 2018
| S.n | Name of the coach | Discipline |
| 1 | Subedar Chenanda Achaiah Kuttappa | Boxing |
| 2 | Vijay Sharma | Weightlifting |
| 3 | A. Srinivasa Rao | Table Tennis |
| 4 | Sukhdev Singh Pannu | Athletics |
| 5 | Clarence Lobo | Hockey (Life Time) |
| 6 | Tarak Sinha | Cricket (Life Time) |
| 7 | Jiwan Kumar Sharma | Judo(Life Time) |
| 8 | V.R. Beedu | Athletics (Life Time) |
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2018
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited
- JSW Sports
- Isha Outreach
Dhyan Chand Award Winner List 2018
| S.n | Name of the coach | Discipline |
| 1 | Satyadev Prasad | Archery |
| 2 | Bharat Kumar Chetri | Hockey |
| 3 | Bobby Aloysius | Athletics |
| 4 | Chougale Dadu Dattatray | Wrestling |
Sports Situation In India
- India spends only 3 paise on each player every day.
- Jamaica spends 19 paise per player per day.
- The US spends Rs 22 per player per day.
- The UK spends 50 paise per player per day.
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