page_title: Athletics in India
section_title: Arjuna Award
hierarchical_section_title: Athletics in India / Arjuna Award
caption_attribution_description: The folks who kick started the runner in me. These two people who coach at the Nike Run Club helped and guided me in getting past that initial hiccups
context_page_description: In India, the sport of athletics was introduced during the period of the British Raj. The sport is governed at national level by the Athletics Federation of India, which was formed in 1946. Despite its large population, at the top level of the sport few Indian athletes have won a medal in a global or major championship. This began to change in the 21st century, when Indians started taking greater interest in athletics more generally and improved facilities for the sport began to be built at a local level. At a continental level, it has been among the more successful Asian nations, though some distance behind China and Japan.
  No Indian athlete has won an Olympic medal in athletics, aside from Norman Pritchard who competed in the non-national era. Women's long jumper Anju Bobby George is the only Indian to have won a medal at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics, doing so in 2003.
  At national level, there are three major athletics competitions: the annual Indian National Open Athletics Championships and Indian Inter State Senior Athletics Championships, and the quadrennial National Games of India.
context_section_description: The Arjuna Awards are given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India each year to recognize outstanding achievement in sports. A significant number of athletics competitors have been given the award. This has included both able-bodied athletes and disabled sportspeople.
  ‡ - Para Athlete
  § - Lifetime Contribution
caption: Multi-eventer Reeth Abraham (with coach Beedu) was a 1997 awardee.
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