National Sports Awards 2020

Athletics coach Purushotham Rai passes away one day before receiving Dronacharya Award

Over his storied career, Rai had trained international athletes like Murali Kuttan, Ashwini Nachappa, MK Asha, EB Shyla, Rosa Kutty and GG Pramila, and he also accompanied the Indian team as coach for the 1987 World Athletics Championship

National Sports Awards 2020: Khel Ratna awardee Mariyappan Thangavelu 'never thought he would reach this far'

Thangavelu still cannot believe how far he has come after suffering permanent disability at the age of five when a bus crushed his right leg below the knee.

'Will bring an Olympic gold next year, Khel Ratna will follow,' says boxer Vikas Krishan after missing out on top honour for second time

When I will return with Olympic gold, the committee will have to acknowledge my performance and recommend me for a Khel Ratna," Vikas, only the second Indian boxer to qualify for three Olympics, said.

'Hum toh shadow bangaye': Boxer Manoj Kumar's coach Rajesh Kumar Rajound on Dronacharya snub

After being snubbed for the Dronacharya, two-time Olympian Manoj Kumar's brother, Rajesh Kumar Rajound, said: "Gareeb aadmi ke liye sirf samaan hi sab kuch hota hai."

National Sports Awards 2020: BAI congratulates former and current shuttlers nominated for various awards

Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy have been picked for the Arjuna award, while the Dhyan Chand Award will be conferred on former shuttlers Pradeep Gandhe, Trupti Murgunde and Satyaprakash Tiwari, with Gaurav Khanna getting the Dronacharya Award

National Sports Awards 2020: Dutee Chand says Arjuna nomination will motivate her to breach Olympic qualification mark

Dutee featured in the Rio Olympics by breaching the qualifying standard of 11.32 seconds but this time the mark is 11.15 seconds.

‘It’s not as if my career’s over’: Arpinder Singh on missing out on Arjuna Award for fourth time

Arpinder Singh won gold in the triple jump at the 2018 Asian Games. While his coach got a Dronacharya that same year, Arpinder has unsuccessfully applied for the Arjuna Award in three consecutive years since.

National Sports Awards 2020: India's ODI vice-captain Rohit Sharma thanks fans after winning Khel Ratna

Rohit, along with paddler Manika Batra, women's hockey captain Rani Rampal, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and para-athlete T Mariyappan were this year awarded the country's highest sporting honour.

National Sports Awards 2020: Chirag Shetty, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy elated after Arjuna comes as 'silver lining' during pandemic

The awards ceremony will be held virtually on 29 August, the National Sports Day, instead of the Rashtrapati Bhavan this year due to the pandemic.

National Sports Awards 2020: Unprecedented eight para-sports personalities to receive Khel Ratna, Arjuna award

An unprecedented eight para-sports personalities will receive the National Sports Awards, including the Khel Ratna to Paralympics gold medallist Mariyappan Thangavelu, virtually on 29 August.