National Sports Awards recommendations announced

Divij Sharan, ranked 56th (Doubles) in the world and 2018 Asian Games Men’s Doubles Gold medalist, Nandan Bal, one of India’s former Davis Cup star players and now a leading Tennis Coach, and Naresh Kumar, former Davis Cup player and one of the best coaches in India, have been recommended for Arjuna Award, Dhyan Chand Award and Lifetime Dronacharya Award, respectively, by the National Sports Awards Selection Committee.

The Selection Committee, headed by Retired Supreme Court Justice Mukundakam Sharma held a two-day meeting in New Delhi and handed over the recommendations for the National Sports Awards 2020 to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports yesterday.

This year, 29 athletes, including the winner of five Doubles titles on the ATP Tour – Divij Sharan, have been recommended for the Arjuna Award, whilst five athletes have been recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

With a Davis Cup win/loss record of 26/20 and having played an instrumental role as a Non-playing Captain in many Davis Cup ties, Naresh Kumar gets featured among the eight names recommended for Lifetime Dronacharya Award and Nandan Bal represents Tennis among the 15 names that have been recommended for Dhyan Chand Award.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the National Sports Awards ceremony which is traditionally held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan will be organised virtually on 29th August.