Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games
Category: Sports & Culture
Level: Central | State: All
Ministry: Ministry Of Youth Affairs & Sports

Details:
Arjuna Award is India's highest sporting award bestowed by the Government of India (Ministry of youth affairs and sports) to sportspersons for their outstanding performance in international as well as national events and also hold leadership qualities with good morals. The award was launched in 1961 and is presented by the President of India every year to sportspersons of different categories. The honor is named after Prince "Arjuna", the protagonist of the Indian epic "Mahabharata". The Sportspersons are honored each year (one award is allotted in each discipline) with a bronze statue of Arjuna, a scroll, and a cash prize. There are three categories under which the award is distributed in various disciplines of sports:-
International-level competitions such as Olympic Games / Asian Games / Commonwealth Games / World Cup / World Championship Disciplines
Indigenous-Native Games
For para sportspersons The applications are invited only online through a dedicated Portal. Sportspersons eligible in accordance with the award guidelines are permitted to self-apply without the recommendation of the authorities/persons through the online Portal.

Benefits:
The award consists of a statuette, a certificate, a ceremonial dress, and a cash award of ₹ 15,00,000 which will be presented to the winners in a function to be held at a place and on a date to be decided by the Government of India.

Eligibility Criteria:
**Eligibility for Arjuna Awards**
1. To be eligible for the Award, a sportsperson should have had not only good performance over the previous four years at the International level but also should have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline. 
2. During the years when the Olympic Games, Commonwealth, and Asian Games are held, the achievements of the sportspersons in these Games and other international tournaments upto the conclusion of the Olympic Games/Commonwealth Games/Asian Games, as the case may be, will also be considered.
3. Sportspersons who have been penalized or against whom inquiry is pending/ongoing for use of drugs/substances banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) based on a sample collected by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) or any other agency authorized by WADA and tested by National Dope Testing Laboratory or any other WADA accredited laboratory, will not be eligible for the Award.
4. The Government will only consider conferring Arjuna Award in the disciplines falling
under the following categories:
a) Olympic Games/Asian Games/Commonwealth Games/World Cup/Word Championship disciplines and cricket or any equivalent recognized international Tournament.
b)	Indigenous Games.
c)	Sports for physically challenged.
**Eligibility for Arjuna Awards (Life Time)**

1. The applicant should be a sportsperson with good performance at the international level.
1. The applicant should have continued to contribute to the promotion of sports even after retirement from active sports.
1. The applicant should possess qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
1. The applicant who has been penalized for use of banned substances should be eligible only after completion of the penalty/suspension/ban period.
1. The achievements of the applicant during the suspension or punishment period should not be considered.
1. The applicant against whom any enquiry is pending or ongoing should not be eligible for the award.