Haryana Felicitates Arjuna Awardees

• 11 Jan 2024

Why in News?

Recently, Haryana Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar honored the state players awarded with the Arjuna Award and their coach at Haryana Bhavan in New Delhi.

Key Points

• The Chief minister congratulated Wrestlers Sunil Kumar, Antim Panghal and Golfer Diksha Dagar who were honored with the Arjuna Award in the National Sports Awards 2023.
• The athletes praised Haryana's sports policy stating that it has boosted the morale of athletes, and the youth are now more inclined towards sports due to this Pro-player Policy.
• According to the Chief minister, a foundational framework for sports will be developed from village to village in Haryana so that the youth can be nurtured from childhood.
• Plans are also underway to establish specialized high-power performance centers to train youth in popular sports. Sports equipment will be made available through gram panchayat.

Arjuna Award

• It was instituted in 1961 by the Government of India to recognise outstanding achievement in national sports events.
• It is given for good performance over a period of previous four years and showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
• The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh, a bronze statue of Arjuna and a scroll of honor.
• In 2023, 26 athletes won the Arjuna Award from Droupadi Murmu, the President of India.
• The list mostly features athletes from the Asian Games 2023 where India made history by winning over 100 medals in a single edition of the event.