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Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (Department of Sports)

Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games

Honours sportspersons who performed well at international level and have continued to contribute to the promotion of sport after retiring from active competition. Scheme amended as on 03.02.2016; 2023 cycle invited under circular K-15012/1/2023-SP-IV(iv).

Source changed — under review· 0/2 evidence· 11 Oct 2026
Award scheme
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Our automated check read the official source and found stored detail it no longer supports. Confirm on the official portal before relying on the figures below. eligibility: Live source text does not support the stored eligibility (best token overlap 20%).
Flagged 11 Oct 2026
Last updated: 12 Aug 2026· Source: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement, 2023 invitation circular
Checked against a primary document
When this entry was written, the eligibility, benefits, amount and application details below were cross-checked against Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports — Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement, 2023 invitation circular (K-15012/1/2023-SP-IV(iv) dated 4 October 2023, with the scheme (amended as on 03.02.2016) at Annexure-I), but the live source has since changed or become unreadable — see the note above.
Eligibility, benefits, amounts and deadlines are set by the implementing government department and change without notice. Always confirm the current terms on the official source linked on each page before applying.

Overview

Honours sportspersons who performed well at international level and have continued to contribute to the promotion of sport after retiring from active competition. Scheme amended as on 03.02.2016; 2023 cycle invited under circular K-15012/1/2023-SP-IV(iv).

Key details

Age
Retired sportspersons who continued to contribute to the promotion of sport after their playing career ended.
Amount / benefit value
Statuette, certificate and ceremonial dress with a cash prize of ₹10,00,000 — the figure notified in the Ministry's cash-prize enhancement circular F.No. K-15012/04/2018-SP-IV of August 2020, which raised it from ₹5,00,000.
Official guidelines PDF
📄 Download PDF ↗
Official website
https://yas.gov.in/en/sports/inviting-applications-dhyan-chand-award-life-time-achievement-sports-and-games-2023-0 ↗

Note: The cash prize is ₹10 lakh, notified in the Ministry's enhancement circular F.No. K-15012/04/2018-SP-IV of August 2020 (up from ₹5 lakh). The 2021 cycle was invited by circular F.No. K-15012/3/2021-SP-IV(iv) dated 19 May 2021, which also applies the WADA/NADA rule: a served penalty does not bar consideration, achievements during the penalty period are excluded, and a pending enquiry does.

Official documents

Notices and PDFs published by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, including earlier years. Links checked 2026-10-06.

Eligibility

  • ▸ Good performance at international level as an active sportsperson
  • ▸ Continued contribution to the promotion of sport in an individual capacity after retirement
  • ▸ Qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and sense of discipline
  • ▸ Not eligible if already conferred with the Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award or Dronacharya Award
  • ▸ WADA/NADA penalised athletes may apply after completing the penalty; achievements during the punishment period are excluded

Benefits

  • ✓ Statuette, certificate and ceremonial dress
  • ✓ Cash prize as notified in the Ministry's cash-prize enhancement circular dated 27.08.2020

Documents required

  • ▪ Online application at dbtyas-sports.gov.in
  • ▪ Achievement certificates from the playing career
  • ▪ Evidence of post-retirement contribution to sport
  • ▪ Vigilance clearance for Government servants

Application process

Only online, at dbtyas-sports.gov.in — eligible sportspersons may self-apply without any recommendation. For the 2023 cycle applications closed at 11:59 pm on 2 November 2023. Government servants must submit vigilance clearance.

Official link
https://yas.gov.in/en/sports/inviting-applications-dhyan-chand-award-life-time-achievement-sports-and-games-2023-0 ↗
Application referrals
—visitors referred

Apply via: Only online, at dbtyas-sports.gov.in — eligible sportspersons may self-apply without any recommendation. For the 2023 cycle applications closed at 11:59 pm on 2 November 2023. Government servants must submit vigilance clearance.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible?＋

A sportsperson with good performance at international level who has continued to contribute to the promotion of sports in an individual capacity after retiring, and who has shown leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.

Can a past awardee of another national award apply?＋

No. Sportspersons already conferred with the Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award or Dronacharya Award are not eligible to apply for the Dhyan Chand Award.

How is the application made?＋

Only online at dbtyas-sports.gov.in — eligible sportspersons may self-apply without any recommendation. For the 2023 cycle the deadline was 11:59 pm on 2 November 2023; Government servants must also submit vigilance clearance.