New Delhi: The Union Sports Ministry has made a big announcement on the selection committee for the Sports Awards. The Government has laid down a single-window procedure for selection of National Sports Awards. This will be the first time in the history of sports awards that top sports honors Rajiv Gandhi Sports Gem, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand, Dronacharya Award, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad Trophy, selection of National Sports Incentive Award, not three committees but 12 members one committee will do so.
Most importantly, the committee, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Mukandkam Sharma, set up by the ministry for the awards, has been a contender for the Tokyo Olympics and the current player MC Mary Kom has been ranked. The National Sports Awards are scheduled to be given at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 29th August. The Committee will sit on the 16th or 17th of August. The Chairman has been exempted for the Dronacharya Award that if he has any problem with the selection, he can include two additional members in the committee.
According to sources, the ministry has preferred the single window procedure for the award so that the eligible candidates who are not selected in the Arjuna Award can be accommodated in the Lifetime Dhyan Chand Award, but the ministry will have to take notice of itself before the committee. Often the current players are not included in the committee, this time the ministry has replaced Mary Kom.
Besides him, the only athlete to win a medal at the World Championships is Anju Bobby George, table tennis player Kamlesh Mehta, footballer Baichung Bhutia, Dronacharya Awardee RD Singh in Para Sports, Rajesh Kalda, Commentator Charu Sharma, Women's Cricketer Anjum Chopra, Tops CEO Rajesh Rajgopalan, DG Sai Sandeep Pradhan and Joint Secretary of the Ministry Inder Dhamija have joined the committee.
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