Overview
Recognises consistently outstanding performance by a sportsperson over the four years immediately preceding the award year, together with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
Key details
- Age
- No age bar; achievement over the four years immediately preceding the award year is the primary criterion, along with leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
- Amount / benefit value
- Statuette, certificate, ceremonial dress and a cash award of ₹15 lakh, presented at a ceremony notified by the Government of India.
- Official guidelines PDF
- 📄 Download PDF ↗
Note: The ₹15 lakh cash prize was set by the Ministry's enhancement circular F.No. K-15012/04/2018-SP-IV of August 2020, which raised it from ₹5 lakh. The 2021 cycle was invited by circular F.No. K-15012/3/2021-SP-IV(ii) dated 19 May 2021, counting achievements from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2020; athletes who have served a WADA/NADA penalty may be considered after the ban ends, but achievements during the penalty period are excluded and anyone under a pending enquiry is not considered. The governing scheme text (Revised Scheme of Arjuna Award, amended as on 7 September 2018) caps the award at ordinarily one per discipline and normally not more than 15 in a calendar year — relaxable with the Minister's approval and for team sports and across gender — reserves at least one award exclusively for sports for the physically challenged, allows nominations of up to three sportspersons per discipline, permits posthumous conferment, and bars a second award to the same person.
Official documents
Notices and PDFs published by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, including earlier years. Links checked 2026-10-06.
- 📄 Arjuna Award ↗Inviting applications for Arjuna Award, 2024Ministry page ↗
- 📄 Inviting nominations for Arjuna Awards for 2021 ↗Inviting nominations for Arjuna Awards for 2021Ministry page ↗
- 📄 Revised Scheme of Arjuna Award (amended as on 7.9.2018) ↗Arjuna AwardMinistry page ↗
- 📄 Scheme for Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance in Sports and Games ↗Scheme For The Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And GamesMinistry page ↗
- 📄 Enhancement of cash amount of Sports Awards 2020 ↗Enhancement of Cash Prize for National Sports Awards 2020.Ministry page ↗
Eligibility
- ▸ Consistently outstanding international performance over the four preceding years
- ▸ Disciplines covered include Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games sports, cricket and indigenous games
- ▸ Qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and sense of discipline are also assessed
Benefits
- ✓ Cash award of ₹15 lakh
- ✓ Statuette of Arjuna, certificate and ceremonial dress, presented at a national ceremony
Documents required
- ▪ Online application on the awards portal
- ▪ Performance/achievement certificates for the four-year assessment period
- ▪ Vigilance clearance from employer, where applicable
Application process
Applications are invited only online; eligible sportspersons are permitted to self-apply without the recommendation of any authority or person. The Government of India may cancel or annul the award (for example for doping), in which case the statuette and certificate must be surrendered.
Apply via: Applications are invited only online; eligible sportspersons are permitted to self-apply without the recommendation of any authority or person. The Government of India may cancel or annul the award (for example for doping), in which case the statuette and certificate must be surrendered.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as eligible performance?＋
Consistently outstanding performance over the four years immediately preceding the award year in the disciplines covered by the scheme — Olympic/Asian/Commonwealth Games disciplines, cricket and indigenous games — plus qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
Can I apply for myself?＋
Yes. Applications are invited only online and eligible sportspersons are permitted to self-apply without the recommendation of any authority or person.
Can the award be withdrawn?＋
Yes. The Government of India may cancel or annul the award (for example for doping), in which case the recipient must surrender the statuette and certificate; the Government may restore the award if the cancellation is withdrawn.