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NATIONAL SPORTS AWARDS 2012 - RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA

AWARD AND ARJUNA AWARDS FOR 2012
National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence
in sports. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for spectacular performance in the
year under consideration; Arjuna Award is given for consistently outstanding
performance for three consecutive years preceding the year of award.
A large number of nominations were received for these awards this year, which
were considered by Selection Committee consisting of eminent sportspersons and sports
administrators; headed by Col Rajya Vardhan Singh Rathore. Based on the
recommendations of the Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has approved
to confer awards upon the following sportspersons.
A.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award - 2012:

1.
2.

Shri Vijay Kumar

Shri Yogeshwar Dutt

B.

Arjuna Awards 2012:

Sl. No.
1.
2.
3.
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5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
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20
21

Name
Ms. Deepika Kumari
Ms. Laishram Bombayla Devi
Ms. Sudha Singh
Ms. Kavita Ramdas Raut
Ms. Ashwani Ponnappa
Mr. Parupalli Kashyap
Mr. Aditya S. Mehta
Mr. Vikas Krishan
Mr. Yuvraj Singh
Mr. Sardar Singh
Mr. Yashpal Solanki
Mr. Anup Kumar
Mr. Samir Suhag
Ms. Annu Raj Singh
Mr. Omkar Singh
Mr. Joydeep Karmakar
Ms. Deepika Pallikal
Mr. Sandeep Sejwal
Ms. Ng. Sonia Chanu
Mr. Narsingh Yadav
Mr. Rajinder Kumar

Shooting
Wrestling

Discipline
Archery
Archery
Athletics
Athletics
Badminton
Badminton
Billiards & Snooker
Boxing
Cricket
Hockey
Judo
Kabaddi
Polo
Shooting
Shooting
Shooting
Squash
Swimming
Weightlifting
Wrestling
Wrestling

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23
24
25

Ms. Geeta Phogat

Mr. M. Bimoljit Singh
Mrs. Deepa Mallick
Mr. Ramkaran Singh

Wrestling
Wushu
Athletics Paralympics
Athletics Paralympics

Normally there will be only one award of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna every year to
be given to an individual sportsperson. However, the Scheme provides that this condition
can be relaxed in exceptional circumstances viz., winning of an Olympic medal. Likw
wise for the Arjuna Awards, normally not more than 15 awards are to be given in any
calendar year. However, the Scheme of Arjuna Awards also provides that keeping in
view the performance of Indian sportspersons in the Commonwealth, Asian Games and
Olympic Games during a particular year, Arjuna Awards exceeding 15 in number may be
allowed with proper justification and approval of the Minister for Youth Affairs &
Sports. The Selection Committee noted that 2012 is the Olympic year and India has won
6 medals in the London Olympics, which is countrys best performance in Olympic
Games, and recommended that the condition of one award in case of Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Ratna and 15 awards in case of Arjuna Awards may be relaxed and the number of Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna Award may be increased from 1 (one) to 2 (two) and Arjun Awards
may be increased from 15 (fifteen) to 25 (twenty five).
The awardees will receive their awards from His Excellency the President of India
at a specially organized function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on August 29, 2012.
Apart from a medal and a citation, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awardees will
receive a cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh each and Arjuna Awardees will receive statuettes,
citations and cash prize of Rs.5 lakh each.