Ramon Magsaysay Award — Indian Winners GK Quiz

The Dronacharya Award was instituted in 1985 to recognize excellence in sports coaching.

B.B. Bhagwat (Wrestling), O.M. Nambiar (Athletics), and Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing) were the first three recipients in 1985.

It is administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.

The award is named after Guru Dronacharya, the legendary teacher from the Mahabharata, and the statuette depicts him.

Since 2011, the award has been presented in two categories: 'Regular' (for recent achievements) and 'Lifetime' (for lifetime contribution).

The award consists of a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, a ceremonial dress, and a cash prize. There is no 'ceremonial dress' given as an award component.

The Regular award is for those who have produced medal winners at international sports events during the last four years.

S.M. Arif received the Dronacharya Award in 1999, but among famous badminton coaches, Pullela Gopichand received it in 2009.

The guidelines allow for the award to be conferred posthumously if the demise occurred during the period for which the performance is considered.

Gurbax Singh Sandhu, the long-serving national boxing coach, received the award in 2002.

The Dronacharya Award is exclusively for sports coaches, while the Major Dhyan Chand Award is for lifetime achievement in sports by players.

The National Sports Awards (including Dronacharya) are traditionally presented on 29th August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.

Hansa Sharma (Weightlifting) was the first woman to receive the Dronacharya Award in the year 2000.

As per the revised norms, the cash prize for the Dronacharya Award (both Regular and Lifetime) is 15 Lakh rupees.

Milkha Singh was an athlete, not a professional coach who received the Dronacharya Award.

Sunita Sharma is a well-known cricket coach and was the first woman cricket coach to receive this honour.

Nominations are typically invited from National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, and State/UT Governments.

In 2020, due to the unique circumstances and revised policy, a record number of 13 coaches received the award across both categories.

The Lifetime category is specifically for those who have contributed to sports coaching over a period of 20 years or more.

The award consists of a bronze statuette of the legendary teacher Dronacharya, a scroll, and a cash prize.

As of the latest revision by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the 'Regular' category carries a cash prize of ₹10 lakh, while the 'Lifetime' category carries ₹15 lakh.

The award is presented annually on 29th August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, celebrated as National Sports Day.

The 'Lifetime' Dronacharya Award is conferred to coaches who have produced outstanding achievements over a period of 20 years or more.

Ramakant Achrekar, a renowned cricket coach from Mumbai, was honored with the Dronacharya Award in 1987.

Each National Sports Federation is allowed to nominate up to two coaches for the Dronacharya Award annually.

The Government of India constitutes a high-level selection committee to review nominations and recommend candidates for the Dronacharya Award.

Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat was the first wrestling coach to receive this honor along with O.M. Nambiar (Athletics) and Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing).

The 'Regular' category focuses on recent and consistent performance, requiring the coach to have trained athletes who won medals in international sports events over the last four years.

O.M. Nambiar was one of the three inaugural recipients of the Dronacharya Award in 1985 for his immense contribution to Indian athletics.

The award is strictly reserved for coaches who have demonstrated excellence in sports coaching; administrative or non-sporting officials are not eligible.

The Regular category recognizes coaching excellence demonstrated specifically over the immediate past four-year period.

The inaugural 1985 awardees were O.M. Nambiar (Athletics), Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing), and Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat (Wrestling).

The Dhyan Chand Award is given for lifetime achievement by a player, whereas the Dronacharya Award is for coaches.

G.S. Bhangu was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 2000 for his exceptional coaching contributions to Indian field hockey.

The Dronacharya Award is intended to honor coaches for their outstanding contributions and dedication to the development of sports in India.

As per standard government guidelines for the Dronacharya Award, self-nominations are not accepted; candidates must be nominated by designated bodies like NSFs or State Governments.

Desh Prem Azad, a legendary cricket coach who mentored Kapil Dev, received the Dronacharya Award in 1986.

The Dronacharya statuette is made of bronze and is a representation of the legendary teacher Dronacharya from the Mahabharata.

Nominations are invited by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports from the Indian Olympic Association, recognized National Sports Federations, and State/UT Governments.

The National Sports Awards Committee, constituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is responsible for evaluating nominations and recommending winners.

The award consists of a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, along with a scroll and a cash prize.

For the Regular category, the performance of the sports person(s) coached by the candidate during the last 4 years is considered.

Nominations are restricted to entities like the IOA, NSFs, SAI, and State/UT Governments; self-nominations or private individual nominations are not permitted.

The 1985 winners were Bhalchandra Bhaskar Bhagwat (Wrestling), Om Prakash Bhardwaj (Boxing), and O.M. Nambiar (Athletics).

Sanjeeva Singh became the first archery coach to be honored with the Dronacharya Award in 2005.

The Lifetime category requires a candidate to have contributed significantly to sports coaching for at least 20 years.

Syed Nayeemuddin, a former Indian footballer and coach, received the Dronacharya Award in 2002.

A person can receive the Dronacharya Award even if they have received other sports awards, provided they meet the specific coaching criteria.

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honor, whereas the Dronacharya Award specifically honors coaching excellence.

Vinoba Bhave was the inaugural recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1958 under the category of Community Leadership.

Mother Teresa received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1962 for International Understanding.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982 (and later other honors) for his pioneering role in the Chipko Movement.

Ravish Kumar received the award in 2019 for his commitment to ethical and independent journalism.

Satyajit Ray was honored for 'Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts' in 1967.

Kiran Bedi, India's first female IPS officer, received the award in 1994 for Public Service.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award is considered the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize, specifically representing the region of South-East Asia.

Jayaprakash Narayan was recognized for his contribution to Public Service in 1965.

Aruna Roy and the MKSS (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan) were awarded in 2000 for their work in empowering citizens through the Right to Information.

Ela Bhatt received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1977 for Community Leadership.

T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election Commissioner, won the award in 1996 for Government Service.

M.S. Subbulakshmi was the first Indian musician to receive this award in 1974 for Public Service (Note: Date correction: She received it in 1974).

Sanjit 'Bunker' Roy, the founder of Barefoot College, received the award in 2014 for his work in community service.

Rajendra Singh received the award in 2001 for Community Leadership for his work in water harvesting.

Dr. Baba Amte received the award in 1985 for Public Service for his work with leprosy patients.

Verghese Kurien was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1963 for Community Leadership.

Vandana Shiva was honored in 1993 under the category of Public Service for her environmental activism.

The award is presented annually in Manila, Philippines, in memory of the former Philippine President, Ramon Magsaysay.

Medha Patkar received the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1992 for Emergent Leadership.

Bharat Vatwani, a psychiatrist, received the award in 2018 for his work with the mentally ill destitute.

Arun Shourie was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1982 for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts.

Bindeshwar Pathak was honored in 1991 for his efforts in social service and sanitation through Sulabh International.

Prakash Amte and Mandakini Amte received the award for Community Leadership for their work among the Madia Gonds of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.

Jockin Arputham was honored in 1996 for his grassroots work in slum dwelling communities through the National Slum Dwellers Federation.

The award is named after Ramon Magsaysay, the third president of the Republic of the Philippines, and is presented on his birth anniversary.

Aruna Roy was recognized in 2000 for Community Leadership, specifically for her role in the Right to Information movement.

Kiran Bedi received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service in 1994 for her reforms in Tihar Jail.

T.N. Seshan was awarded for Government Service for his efforts in strengthening the electoral process in India.

Baba Amte was honored in 1985 for his pioneering work in the rehabilitation of leprosy patients.

Mrinal Sen received the award in 1982 for his contribution to the film industry and communication.

Deep Joshi was awarded for Community Leadership in 2011 for his work in rural development and grassroots organization.

Anshu Gupta (founder of Goonj) received the award for his work in disaster relief and using underutilized materials for community development.

Bezwada Wilson was recognized for his efforts in founding the Safai Karamchari Andolan to eradicate manual scavenging.

Harish Hande, founder of SELCO India, received the award for his role in providing sustainable solar power to the poor.

Bharat Vatwani was awarded for his work through the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation in rescuing and treating mentally ill street people.

Dr. Ravi Kannan R. was recognized for his transformative work in cancer care at the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre.

Vinoba Bhave received the inaugural award in 1958 under the category of Community Leadership for the Bhoodan (Land Gift) Movement.

Sonam Wangchuk was honored for his creative, systematic, and holistic educational reforms in Ladakh through SECMOL.

Ravish Kumar received the award in 2019 for his journalism which highlights the problems of the common people.

Aruna Roy received the award in 2000, and the category 'Emergent Leadership' was introduced later in 2001.

Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay received the award in 1974 in the category of Community Leadership for her work in the upliftment of handicrafts and arts.

M.S. Swaminathan was honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1971 in the category of Community Leadership for his pivotal role in the Green Revolution.

M.S. Subbulakshmi was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 1974 for Public Service, becoming the first Indian musician to receive this honor.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation is headquartered in Manila, Philippines, where the awards are traditionally presented.

Gour Kishore Ghosh was recognized for his courageous journalism during the period of Emergency in India.

Gram Vikas, based in Odisha, was recognized for their work in rural development and empowerment.

Jockin Arputham was awarded for his work with the National Slum Dwellers Federation.

Lakshmi Chand Jain received the award in 1989 for his contribution to public service through his role in civil society and planning.

P. Sainath was recognized in the category of Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts.

Chandi Prasad Bhatt received the award in 1987 for his pioneering work in community-based environmental protection.