President Shri Pranab Mukherjee here today conferred National Sports & Adventure Awards 2016 in a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

(i) Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2016

Following sportspersons were conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna 2016.

Ms. P.V. Sindhu, Badminton

Ms. Dipa Karmakar , Gymnastics

Shri Jitu Rai, Shooting

Ms. Sakshi Malik , Wrestling

(ii) Dronacharya Awards 2016

Following coaches were conferred with Dronacharya Awards for the year 2016.

Shri Nagapuri Ramesh - Athletic,  Shri Sagar Mal Dhayal- Boxing, Shri Raj Kumar Sharma- Cricket, Shri Bishweshwar Nandi -Gymnastics, Shri S. Pradeep Kumar - Swimming (Lifetime), Shri Mahabir Singh - Wrestling (Lifetime)

(iii) Arjuna Awards 2016

Following sportspersons were conferred with Arjuna Awards for the year 2016:

Shri Rajat Chauhan-Archery, Ms. Lalita Babar - Athletics, Shri Sourav Kothari -Billiards & Snooker, Shri Shiva Thapa- Boxing, Shri Ajinkya Rahane*- Cricket,Shri Subrata Paul - Football, Ms. Rani- Hockey, Shri Raghunath V.R-Hockey, Shri Gurpreet Singh- Shooting,Ms. Apurvi Chandela- Shooting, Shri Soumyajit Ghosh- Table Tennis, Ms. Vinesh - Wrestling, Shri Amit Kumar - Wrestling, Shri Sandeep Singh Mann - Para-Athletics, Shri Virender Singh-  Wrestling (Deaf)

*Shri Ajinkya Rahane, selected for Arjun Award in the discipline of cricket, could not attend the Award Ceremony as he is presently in West Indies taking part in Test Matches/ One-Day International Series/ T-20 matches. He will be given award later by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs & Sports.

(iv) Dhyan Chand Award 2016

Following persons were conferred with Dhyan Chand Awards for the year 2016:

Ms. Satti Geetha ,Athletics

Shri Sylvanus Dung Dung , Hockey

Shri Rajendra Pralhad Shelke , Rowing

(v) Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2015

Following persons were conferred with Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards for the year 2015.

Ms. Tashi Malik,Land Adventure

Ms. Nungshi Malik , Land Adventure

Debasish Biswas , Land Adventure

Ms. Ritu Kishor Kedia , Water Adventure

B. Rajkumar , Air Adventure

Harbhajan Singh ,

Life Time Achievement

(vi) Maulana Abul Kalma Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2015-16

Punjabi University, Patiala was conferred with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for the year 2015-16.

(vii) Rashtriya Khel Protsahana Purushkar, 2016

Following entities were conferred with Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskarar for the year 2016.

Entity recommended for Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, 2016

Identification and Nurturing of Budding and Young Talent’

1.Hockey Citizen Group

2.Dadar Parsee Zorostrian Cricket Club

3.Usha School of Athletics

4.STAIRS

Encourage to sports through corporate social responsibility

India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited

‘Employment to sportspersons and other welfare measures’

Reserve Bank of India

Sports for Development

Subroto Mukerjee Sports Education Society