New Delhi: Sprint legend P T Usha was on Thursday named chairperson of the selection committee for this year`s
National Sports Awards, while hockey icon Ashok Kumar was
appointed head of the panel to pick the Dronacharya awardees.
The 17-member panel to select the winners of the Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dhyanchand Awards also includes
tennis veteran Leander Paes and Olympic bronze medallist
weightlifter Karnam Malleswari.
The committee will also select the Rashtriya Khel
Protsahan Puruskar for the year 2010.
The Dronacharya awardees for this year would be picked by
a panel headed by hockey legend Ashok Kumar. The panel also
has shooting star Anjali Bhagwat and national squash coach
Cyrus Poncha.
The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, which was given
jointly to the trio of Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender
Singh, wrestler Sushil Kumar and four-time world champion
woman pugilist M C Mary Kom last year, would be given to only
one athlete from this year.
The award consists of a cash amount of Rs 7.5 lakh, a
scroll of honour and a medal.
The Arjuna award consists of a statuette, a scroll of
honour, ceremonial dress and a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.
The Dhyanchand award comprises of a plaque, a scroll of
honour, ceremonial dress and a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.
Rastriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, instituted last year ,
has four categories -- community sports development, promotion
of sports academies of excellence, support to elite
sportspersons and academies of excellence, support to elite
sportspersons and employment to sportspersons. The award
carries a trophy and citation.
As for the Dronacharya award, ordinarily not more than
five are given in any calendar year. The award comprises a
plaque, a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress, and cash prize
of Rs 5 lakh.
The Selection Committee for National Sports Awards: P T
Usha (Athletics, Chairperson), Aparna Popat (Badminton),
Maneypandu Somaya (Hockey), Nisha Millet (Swimming), Leander
Paes (Tennis), Karnam Malleshwari (Weightlifting), Limba Ram
(Archery), Adhiraj Singh (Equestrian), Mohd Habib (Football),
Sriram Bhavasar (Kabaddi), Pradip Singh, S G Baruah, Sayan
Chatterjee, Injeti Srinivas, Rahul Bhatnagar, Pravir Krishn
and Deepika Kachhal.
The Selection Committee for Dronacharya Awards: Ashok
Kumar (Hockey), Vandana Rao (Athletics), Rajendra Prasad
(Boxing), Mohammed Zulfiqaruddin (Football), Anjali Bhagwat
(Shooting), Manjit Dua (Table Tennis), Gurcharan Singh
(Cricket), Ismail Baig (Rowing), GE Sreedharan (Volleyball),
Cyrus Poncha (Squash), Jhanjha Tripathi, U K S Chauhan, Sayan
Chatterjee, Injeti Srinivas, Rahul Bhatnagar, Pravir Krishn,
Deepika Kachhal.
PTI