(THE GIST OF PIB) Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

(DECEMBER-2023)

India's badminton stars Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sai Raj Rankireddy won the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports recently.

Named after the hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand (1905–79), an Indian legendary field hockey player, the "Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award" (erstwhile Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratan Award) is the highest sporting honour in India.
Instituted in 1991–1992, the award is conferred annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

The spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports and games at the international level, i.e. Olympic/Asian/Commonwealth/World Games/Championships/World Cup and equivalently recognized international tournaments, by a sportsperson over a period of four years immediately preceding the year during which the award is to be given.
During the years when Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are held, the achievements of the sportspersons in these Games and other abovementioned tournaments up to the conclusion of the Olympic Games/Commonwealth/Asian Games, as the case may be, will also be considered.
Sportspersons who have been penalised or against whom an enquiry is pending or ongoing for the use of drugs/substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will not be eligible for the award.

No award will be made for a second time to the same person.
There will be only one award every year to be given to an individual sportsperson. This condition will be relaxed only in exceptional circumstances.
The award may be given posthumously if such an occasion arises.
The Government of India may cancel or annul the award for any recipient for specific reasons, including doping.