Dhyan Chand Award is a prestigious prize given by the Government of India to deserving sportspersons for lifetime achievement in sports. The award was instituted in 2002 and carried a cash prize of Rs. 5 lakh, a scroll of honor and a statuette. The award is not given to more than 4 sportspersons in any calendar year.
The prestigious award is named after Dhyan Chand, considered to be the greatest hockey player ever. Dhyan Chand was the undoubted star of the Indian hockey team in the 1920s and 1930s, which won multiple gold medals in the Olympics during this period. There has never been a hockey player like Dhyan Chand and he is a true legend. It is fitting that an award as important as this one has been constituted in his name.
The Dhyan Chand Award is different from the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award as it is not just awarded to sportspersons based on their recent performances – It is given to deserving sportspersons for their contribution to sports over a lifetime, including for their work after retirement.
Some of the recipients of the Dhyan Chand Award such as Zeeshan Ali (Tennis), Gurmail Singh (Hockey) and Rajkumar Baisla (Wrestling) were honored for contributing to the development of the sports and in assisting a younger generation of athletes and sportspersons following their retirement.
The recipients of this award are expected to exhibit leadership, discipline and have all the attributes of sportsmanship. The awardees are chosen by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports based on recommendations from the Indian Olympic Association, all recognized National Sports Federations and all state governments.
List of Dhyan Chand Award 2017 Recipients | Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award 2017 Winners
| 1. | Sumrai Tete | 2017 | Hockey |
| 2. | Bhupender Singh | 2017 | Athletics |
| 3. | Syed Shahid Hakim | 2017 | Football |
List of Dhyan Chand Award 2016 Recipients | Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award 2016 Winners
| 1. | Ms. Satti Geetha | 2016 | Athletics |
| 2. | Shri Sylvanus Dung Dung | 2016 | Hockey |
| 3. | Shri Rajendra Pralhad Shelke | 2016 | Rowing |
List of Dhyan Chand Award Recipients | Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award Winners
| S.No | Name | Year | Sports/ Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Aparna Ghosh | 2002 | Basketball |
| 2. | Ashok Diwan | 2002 | Hockey |
| 3. | Shahuraj Birajdar | 2002 | Boxing |
| 4. | Charles Cornelius | 2003 | Hockey |
| 5. | Dharam Singh Mann | 2003 | Hockey |
| 6. | Om Prakash | 2003 | Volleyball |
| 7. | Ram Kumar | 2003 | Basketball |
| 8. | Smita Yadav | 2003 | Rowing |
| 9. | Hardyal Singh | 2004 | Hockey |
| 10. | Labh Singh | 2004 | Athletics |
| 11. | Mehendale Parshuram | 2004 | Athletics |
| 12. | Manoj Kothari | 2005 | Billiards and Snooker |
| 13. | Maruti Mane | 2005 | Wrestling |
| 14. | Rajinder Singh | 2005 | Hockey |
| 15. | Harishchandra Birajdar | 2006 | Wrestling |
| 16. | Nandy Singh | 2006 | Hockey |
| 17. | Uday Prabhu | 2006 | Athletics |
| 18. | Rajendra Singh | 2007 | Wrestling |
| 19. | Shamsher Singh | 2007 | Kabaddi |
| 20. | Varinder Singh | 2007 | Hockey |
| 21. | Gian Singh | 2008 | Wrestling |
| 22. | Hakam Singh | 2008 | Athletics |
| 23. | Mukhbain Singh | 2008 | Hockey |
| 24. | Ishar Singh Deol | 2009 | Athletics |
| 25. | Satbir Singh Dahya | 2009 | Wrestling |
| 26. | Satish Pillai | 2010 | Athletics |
| 27. | Anita Chanu | 2010 | Weightlifting |
| 28. | Kuldeep Singh | 2010 | Wrestling |
| 29. | Shabbir Ali | 2011 | Football |
| 30. | Sushil Kohli | 2011 | Swimming |
| 31. | Rajkumar Baisla | 2011 | Wrestling |
| 32. | Jagraj Singh Mann | 2012 | Athletics |
| 33. | Gundeep Kumar | 2012 | Hockey |
| 34. | Vinod Kumar | 2012 | Wrestling |
| 35. | Sukhbir Singh Tokas | 2012 | Para-Sports |
| 36. | Mary D’souza Sequeira | 2013 | Athletics |
| 37. | Syed Ali | 2013 | Hockey |
| 38. | Anil Mann (Old) | 2013 | Wrestling |
| 39. | Girraj Singh | 2013 | Para-Sports |
| 40. | Gurmail Singh | 2014 | Hockey |
| 41. | K.P.Thakkar | 2014 | Swimming-Diving |
| 42. | Zeeshan Ali | 2014 | Tennis |
| 43. | Romeo James | 2015 | Hockey |
| 44. | Shiv Prakash Mishra | 2015 | Tennis |
| 45. | T.P.P.Nair | 2015 | Volleyball |
| 46. | Ms. Satti Geetha | 2016 | Athletics |
| 47. | Shri Sylvanus Dung Dung | 2016 | Hockey |
| 48. | Shri Rajendra Pralhad Shelke | 2016 | Rowing |
List of Dhyan Chand Award Recipients
Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award 2016
Dhyan Chand Award 2016 Winners
Dhyan Chand Award 2016 is given for which category
Who has won the 2016 Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award?
Dhyan Chand Award in Hockey
Dhyan Chand Award in Basketball
Dhyan Chand Award in Boxing
Dhyan Chand Award in Volleyball
Dhyan Chand Award in Rowing
Dhyan Chand Award in Athletics
Dhyan Chand Award in Billiards and Snooker
Dhyan Chand Award in Wrestling
Dhyan Chand Award in Kabaddi
Dhyan Chand Award in Weightlifting
Dhyan Chand Award in Football
Dhyan Chand Award in Swimming
Dhyan Chand Award in Para-Sports
Dhyan Chand Award in Tennis