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Sports and Adventure Awards 2023

Recently, the President of India presided over a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan to bestow the prestigious National Sports and Adventure Awards 2023.The awards are administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: India's highest sporting honor established in 1991-92. Named after hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. Given for outstanding performances over 4 years. Notable awardees include MC Mary Kom, PV Sindhu, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli. 2023: Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (badminton). Arjuna Award: Instituted in 1961, it was India’s highest sporting honor before the Khel Ratna came into being. Named after the Mahabharata character Arjuna. Awarded for consistent good…

27 January, 2024 Sports

National Sports Day 

12th National Sports Daywas celebrated across India on 29 August.  Why is National Sports Day Celebrated? Objective: To commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. First NSD: August 29, 2012. Significance: Encourages people of all ages to embrace physical fitness, regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Serves as a catalyst for developing a robust sports culture in India. Highlights of NSD 2023:  Theme - "Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society". National Sports Federations portal launched (for good governance). Major Dhyan Chand was a field hockey player who played international hockey from 1926 to 1949.  He was a three-time Olympic gold medalist who secured gold in the 1928, 1932,…

27 January, 2024 Sports

19th Asian Games (of 2022, held in 2023)

The Asian Games is the biggest sports competition in Asia, held once every four years. The symbol for the Asian Games is the rising sun with interlocking rings. It is recognised by the International Olympic Committee. Background and Inauguration: After the Second World War, many Asian countries gained independence and the Indian International Olympic Committee proposed the idea of Asian Games as a sporting event, where all Asian nations can be represented.The first-ever Asian Games were held in New Delhi in 1951. Regulation: Asian Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from 1951 to 1978. Since 1982, the Olympic Council of Asia has regulated the Asian Games. India as a Host: India is a founder…

27 January, 2024 Sports

World Anti-Doping Report 2022

Doping is the act of consuming artificial and often illegal substances to gain an advantage over others in sporting competitions (For example: anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, stimulants and diuretics). Doping products are often illegally produced, trafficked and distributed. As they are rarely approved for public use, their consumption is dangerous and poses a serious health risk to both professional and amateur sports people. Anti Doping is opposing or prohibiting illegal doping to improve athletic performance. India’s Initiatives Related to Anti-Doping: National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA): NADA was set up as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 in 2005, with a…

27 January, 2024 Sports

Year End Review of the Department of Sports

India achieves historic milestone at Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China clinching 107 Medals including 28 Gold Medals Historic triumph of the Indian contingent at the Asian Para Games with 111 Medals including 29 Gold Medals Exceptional performance of Indian Athletes at the World Athletic Championship India organized FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023, Bhubaneswar – Rourkela The First ever MotoGP Bharat organized in India India hosted 141st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Mumbai: Hon’ble Prime Minister announced India’s interest in hosting the Youth Olympics 2030 and the Summer Olympics in 2036 First ever Khelo India Para Games…

26 January, 2024 Sports

6th Edition of Khelo India Youth Games

The 6th edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) is currently underway, happening from 19th January to 31st January 2024, across four cities in Tamil Nadu: Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and Coimbatore. About: KIYG is a national-level, multi-disciplinary sports competition for school and college students in India. The games are held annually in January or February and are part of the government's Khelo India initiative. It aims to promote sports culture and identify sporting talent at the grassroots level. The previous 5 editions of the Youth Games have been held in Delhi, Pune, Guwahati, Panchkula and Bhopal. Format: It is held in two categories, namely under-17-year-old school students and under-21…

26 January, 2024 Sports

Hockey World Cup, 2023

Hockey World Cup, 2023 The Odisha Chief minister officially opened Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium, one of Rourkela's largest hockey arenas, in advance of the Men's Hockey World Cup in 2023. From January 13 to January 29 in 2023, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela will host the 15th edition of the Hockey World Cup organized by the International Hockey Federation. What are the Hockey World Cup's Key Points? It took 13 long years and four editions of the event before it was finally held in the Indian subcontinent for the first time. The event was created jointly by India and Pakistan as the…

06 January, 2023 Sports

FIFA World Cup Ball History

FIFA World Cup Ball History The official match ball for the Qatar World Cup, according to FIFA, travels more quickly than any other in the competition's history. Regarding Al Rihla: Al Rihla means "the voyage" in Arabic, and so does its name. The name is thought to be a nod to a travelogue authored by Ibn Battuta, an explorer from the 14th century who explored Asia, Europe, and Africa. Because sustainability was a top concern for the designers, Al Rihla is the first World Cup ball to be created completely with water-based inks and glues. Its vivid colour was inspired…

02 December, 2022 Sports

Football4Schools Initiative

Football4Schools Initiative In order to implement the "Football4Schools" concept in India, the Ministry of Education has inked an MoU with FIFA and the All India Football Federation (AIFF).   Football4Schools Initiative: What is it? The Prime Minister's goal of making athletics a way of life and raising well-rounded citizens is being realized through the Football4Schools program. Through sports-integrated learning, it seeks to empower 25 million young boys and girls in India. It supports the goals of the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP). Goals: Give students (boys and girls) useful life skills and competencies. Give coach-educators the tools and training they…

01 November, 2022 Sports

36th National Game

36th National Game The Prime Minister recently opened the 36th National Games in Gujarat. About National Games The National Games are a part of the Olympic movement, which captured the nation's attention in the 1920s. To advance Olympic sports in the country, the National Games in India were originally intended to be the Indian Olympic Games. The first Indian Olympic Games, held in Lahore in 1924 in United Punjab. Beginning in 1940, the Indian Olympic Games were referred to as the National Games. Athletes from several Indian states compete against one another in a range of sports disciplines in this…

01 October, 2022 Sports

National Sports Day 2022 UPSC

National Sports Day 2022 Image Source - Career India Every year on August 29th, India commemorates National Sports Day or Rashtriya Khel Divas in honour of hockey great Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on this day in 1905. Key Points India's National Sports Day was established in 2012, and it was first observed that year. The country honours its sporting heroes on this day. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Awards are among the sports honours that the president presents on this occasion. Significance: The main goal of National Sports Day…

29 August, 2022 Sports

FIFA Banned India

FIFA Banned India The All-India Football Federation (AIFA), the nation's highest administrative authority, has recently been suspended by FIFA, the world's governing body of the sport, for improper interference by outside parties. Events that led to the ban The current set of issues for Indian football started when the former AIFF president, Praful Patel, who was also a member of the FIFA council, refused to resign from his position as the nation's head of football. But on May 18, the Supreme Court intervened and removes Praful Patel from the post.  The SC also appointed a Committee of Administrators (COA) to run…

19 August, 2022 Sports

44TH CHESS OLYMPIAD AND SPORTS CONDITION IN INDIA

44TH CHESS OLYMPIAD AND SPORTS CONDITION IN INDIA  44th Chess Olympiad at JLN Indoor Stadium, Chennai was declared by the Prime Minister. About 44th Chess Olympiad This is the first time that the Chess Olympiad is being held in the place of origin of chess that is in India. It is coming to Asia for the first time in the last 3 decades. Even it has the highest ever number of countries participating in this session of chess Olympiad. It has the highest ever number of teams participating. It has the highest number of entries in the women’s category. The first…

29 July, 2022 Sports

Khelo India Programme

Khelo India Programme It is a Central Sector Scheme with 12 components and achieves twin objectives of National Youth Policy, 2001: broad basing sports and achieving excellence in sports. It was introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass root level. Talented players will be given annual financial assistance of Rs. 5 lakh/ year for 8 years. It was launched after merging Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infra Scheme (USIS) and National Sports Talent Search System Programme. 12 components include Community coaching, annual sports competition, State level centers, sports infra, physical fitness, women, PwD, peace and development and indigenous/…

22 May, 2021 Sports

Fit INDIA

Fit INDIA TO launch special films promoting 10 indigenous sports of India under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat program Sports Ministry’s flagship programme Fit India is joining hands with the Department of School Education and Literacy, to launch a series of special films promoting 10 indigenous sports of India under the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat initiative.  The series is aimed at creating awareness about not just the indigenous games but also the culture and heritage of the states to which they belong. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat aims to create awareness among youngsters about the culture and heritage of states across India. …

17 June, 2020 Sports

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