Government instituted Dronacharya Award to recognise the efforts of coaches and trainers who dedicate their lives for enhancing the performance of athletes and raising the standard of games. The Dronacharya Award was first given in 1985. Every year, Dronacharya award is provided to expert coaches for their consistent outstanding performance. The cash prize associated with Dronacharya Award is 5 lakhs. It also includes a bronze statue of Guru Dronacharya (the ancient Indian Physical and weapon trainer in the mythological era of Mahabharata), a tie, a blazer, a scroll and a suit.
Eligibility for Dronacharya Award
The award is open to coaches who have trained an individual or a team for at least two years with consistent outstanding performance at:
1. Global Olympic events
2. Sports disciplines recognised by the government
3. Indigenous sports recognised by the government
Dronacharya Award Winners
Some of the well known coaches of athletics who received Dronacharya Award in India are—
O.M. Nambiar (1985), Ilyas Babar (1994), Karan Singh (1995), Joginder Singh Saini (1997), Hargobind Singh Sandhu (1998), Kuntal Roy, R.D. Singh (2006), A.K. Kutty (2010), Ramphal (2011), Mahavir Singh Phogat (Wrestling, 2016), and Sukhdev Singh Pannu (Athletics, 2008).
