President Shri Pranab Mukherjee Confers National Sports & Adventure Awards – 2016

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