New Delhi: The Union Sports Minister of India Kiren Rijiju on Saturday announced a massive hike in the prize money for the National Sports Awards.
"We've taken a decision to increase prize money for sports & adventure awards. Prize money for sports awards has already been increased. Prize money for Arjuna Award & Khel Ratna Award has been increased to Rs 15 lakhs & Rs 25 lakhs respectively," Kiren Rijiju was quoted as saying by a newspaper.
Earlier, the Khel Ratna winner used to get a cash prize of Rs 7.5 lakh, while the Arjuna awardees get Rs 5 lakh.
The prize money of the National Sports Awards was last increased in 2009.
For the first time in the history of sports awards, the National Sports Awards would be held virtually. 60 award winners will attend the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2020 via a virtual event on Saturday, August 29.
"Due to health and other reasons issues, 14 awardees will be not be attending the National Sports Awards functions from various SAI centres," SAI said in a statement. President of India, Ram Nath Kovind will present the award to the award winners in virtual mode. In the virtual format, President of India will be attending through NIC link from the President's house, via video conferencing, while the recipients will be present at SAI and NIC centres in various locations across the country.
The awardees will attend the ceremony from various places across the country - Bengaluru, Pune, Sonepat, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Itanagar.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju, President of the Indian Olympic Association Narendra Dhruv Batra and several other dignitaries will attend the ceremony from Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.
