Scheme for Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games

Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games is a national honour given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to coaches who have trained sportspersons to win at international competitions. Instituted in 1985, the award comes with a cash prize, a statuette, a certificate and a ceremonial dress. Nominations for the award are invited every year through the official National Sports Awards portal.

Scheme for Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games - Introduction

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports confers the Dronacharya Award to recognise coaches who have consistently guided athletes to achieve excellence on the global stage. The award is named after Dronacharya, the legendary teacher from the Mahabharata, and it is given each year to honour the best coaching work in the country. The award is presented by the President of India, usually on National Sports Day, which falls on 29 August.

The award is given in two categories. The first is the Dronacharya Award (Regular) and the second is the Dronacharya Award (Lifetime Contribution). Ordinarily, not more than five awards are given in a calendar year, and out of these, two are kept aside for lifetime contribution in coaching.

Objectives:

• To honour coaches who have done outstanding and meritorious work on a regular basis and helped sportspersons excel in international events.
• To motivate coaches to raise the standard of sportspersons to the highest level of performance in international competitions and bring glory to the country.

Disciplines and Categories:

The award covers Olympic sports, Government-recognised non-Olympic sports and indigenous sports. It is divided into the Regular category and the Lifetime Contribution category. The award is a one-time honour, and no award is made a second time to the same person. It may be given posthumously if the occasion arises.

Highlights

Benefits

Awardees receive recognition and monetary support based on their category. The cash prize differs for the Regular and the Lifetime Contribution categories.

• Dronacharya Award (Regular): A cash prize of ₹10,00,000 (ten lakh rupees), along with a statuette, a certificate and a ceremonial dress.
• Dronacharya Award (Lifetime Contribution): A cash prize of ₹15,00,000 (fifteen lakh rupees), along with a statuette, a certificate and a ceremonial dress.

The President of India confers these awards on National Sports Day, 29 August. During the years when the Olympic, Commonwealth and Asian Games are held, the date of the ceremony is set keeping in view the closing dates of these Games.

Eligibility

Regular Category:

• Applicants must be coaches who work either full time or part time and have produced outstanding achievements over a period of four years immediately before the year in which the award is to be given.
• Applicants must show outstanding coaching results in international competitions during the qualifying period.

Lifetime Contribution Category:

• Applicants must show achievements in producing outstanding sportspersons over a period of 20 years or more.
• Grassroot or Development coaches must have been connected with an athlete for at least 5 years within the 20-year period.

A coach who is found encouraging the use of drugs or substances banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) will not be eligible. A coach against whom an enquiry is pending on this matter is also ineligible. Sportspersons who have already been given the Dhyan Chand Award are not eligible to apply for the Dronacharya Award.

Exclusions

• Current recipients of the Arjuna Award (Lifetime), earlier known as the Dhyan Chand Award, are not eligible.
• Individuals who canvas for the award are disqualified.
• Coaches with doping violations can only apply after the completion of their ban, and achievements during any suspension period are ignored.

Application Process

Nominations for the Dronacharya Award are invited by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, Sports Promotion and Control Boards and State or UT Governments. Nominations are usually invited in January or February each year. Coaches can be nominated through the official National Sports Awards portal at awards.gov.in.

STEP 1 - Go to the official National Sports Awards portal at awards.gov.in and open the section for ongoing nominations.

STEP 2 - Select the Dronacharya Award option and check the nomination start and end dates for the current year.

STEP 3 - Fill in the prescribed nomination proforma with the achievements of the coach in international competitions for the previous three years and for the year of the award.

STEP 4 - Attach the required documents, including the vigilance clearance certificate for government or PSU employees, and submit the nomination before the last date.

STEP 5 - Keep the acknowledgement and the reference details generated after successful submission for future tracking.

Documents

• Proof of date of birth.
• A recent passport-size photograph and a clear signature.
• Vigilance clearance certificate, which is required for government or PSU employees.
• A self-undertaking regarding moral and criminal conduct.
• Coaching diploma or degree, if applicable.
• Certificates documenting the international achievements of the athletes trained.
• Documented proof of the coaching tenure.
• A signed undertaking in the prescribed format.

Definitions

Olympian

An athlete who has represented India in the Olympic Games as part of an official, government-approved contingent.

Sports Administrator

A professional involved in the management, administration or delivery of sports services within sports organisations, academies or events.

Sports Journalist or Expert

A person connected with sports journalism, commentary or recognised sports literature and broadcast analysis.

References

National Sports Awards Portal | Official Scheme Page on Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports | Dronacharya Award Details and Guidelines

FAQ's

How many awards are granted each year?

Ordinarily, a maximum of five awards are given in a calendar year, including two for the Lifetime Contribution category.

Can I apply even if I am not nominated by an authority?

Nominations are invited from recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, Sports Promotion and Control Boards and State or UT Governments. Coaches should get themselves nominated through these agencies on the official portal.

When is the application period?

Nominations are usually invited in January or February each year. The exact start and end dates are announced on the official National Sports Awards portal.

What happens if a coach has a pending inquiry regarding doping?

A coach against whom an enquiry is pending on doping will not be eligible, and achievements during any suspension period are not considered for the award.