List of Arjuna Award recipients (1980–1989)

{{Infobox award

| name = Arjuna Award

| image =

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| subheader = Civilian award for outstanding individual achievements in National Sports

| awarded_for =

| sponsor = Government of India

| established = 1961

| year = 1961

| former name =

| award1_type = Total awarded

| award1_winner = 147

| previous = Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

| next =

}}

The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games is a sports honour of Republic of India. It is awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Before the introduction of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1991–1992, the Arjuna Award was the highest sporting honour of India.{{cite press_release|title=Vishwanathan Anand gets Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/EDUCATION/1992-MIN-OF-YOUTH-AFFAIRS-&-SPORTS/PDF/YTH-1992-08-18_084.pdf|publisher=Press Information Bureau, India|accessdate=22 September 2020|date=18 August 1992|archive-date=29 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229185750/https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/EDUCATION/1992-MIN-OF-YOUTH-AFFAIRS-%26-SPORTS/PDF/YTH-1992-08-18_084.pdf|url-status=live}} {{As of|2020}}, the award comprises "a bronze statuette of Arjuna, certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of {{INRConvert|15|l}}".{{efn|name=a}}

Name

The award is named after Arjuna, a character from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata of ancient India. He is one of the Pandavas, depicted as a skilled archer, winning the hand of Draupadi in marriage, and, in the Kurukshetra War, Lord Krishna becomes his charioteer, teaching him the sacred knowledge of Gita.{{Cite book|url=https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691139968/the-bhagavad-gita|title=The Bhagavad Gita|date=26 October 2014|isbn=978-0-691-13996-8|language=en|last1=Davis|first1=Richard H.}} In Hindu mythology, he has been seen as a symbol of hard work, dedication and concentration.{{cite press_release|title=Sports Ministry unveils new look Sports Awards|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=52143|publisher=Press Information Bureau, India|accessdate=22 September 2020|date=26 August 2009|archive-date=28 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128112951/https://archive.pib.gov.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=52143|url-status=live}}

History

Instituted in 1961 to honour the outstanding sportspersons of the country,{{cite web|title=India in Sports: Some Fabulous Achievements|url=http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2000/ffeb2000/f100220001.html|publisher=Press Information Bureau, India|accessdate=11 February 2017|author=Bhardwaj, D. K.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813230542/http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2000/ffeb2000/f100220001.html|archive-date=13 August 2017|url-status=live}} the award over the years has undergone a number of expansions, reviews, and rationalizations. The award was expanded to include all the recognised disciplines in 1977, has introduced indigenous games and physically handicapped categories in 1995 and introduced a lifetime contribution category in 1995 leading to creation of a separate Dhyan Chand Award in 2002.{{cite press_release|title=Cash awards for Arjuna winners|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1977-JAN-DEC-AWARDS/PDF/DEF-1977-10-12_084.pdf|publisher=Press Information Bureau, India|accessdate=22 September 2020|date=12 October 1977|archive-date=29 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229185750/https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1977-JAN-DEC-AWARDS/PDF/DEF-1977-10-12_084.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite press_release|title=Arjuna Awards further expanded|url=http://pibarchive.nic.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/EDUCATION/1995-JAN-DEC-MO-YOUTH-AFFAIRS-&-SPORTS-NO-9/PDF/YTH-1995-05-24_023.pdf|publisher=Press Information Bureau, India|accessdate=22 September 2020|date=24 May 1995|archive-date=29 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229185750/https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/EDUCATION/1995-JAN-DEC-MO-YOUTH-AFFAIRS-%26-SPORTS-NO-9/PDF/YTH-1995-05-24_023.pdf|url-status=live}} The latest revision in 2018 stipulates that the award is given only to the disciplines included in the events like Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship and World Cup along with Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports. It also recommends giving only fifteen awards in a year, relaxing in case of excellent performance in major multi-sport events, team sports, across gender and giving away of at least one award to physically challenged category.

The nominations for the award are received from all government recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Sports Promotion and Control Boards, the state and the union territory governments and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Dronacharya awardees of the previous years. The recipients are selected by a committee constituted by the Ministry and are honoured for their "good performance in the field of sports over a period of four years" at international level and for having shown "qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline".

Recipients

A total of 147 awards were presented in the 1980s{{dash}} thirteen in 1980–1981, followed by sixteen in 1981, twenty in 1982, nineteen in 1983, fifteen in 1984, nineteen in 1985, thirteen in 1986, fifteen in 1987, five in 1988 and twelve in 1989. Individuals from thirty-three different sports were awarded, which includes nineteen from athletics, ten each from hockey and cricket, seven each from boxing, mountaineering and weightlifting, six each from chess, wrestling and yachting, five each from kho kho, shooting, swimming, table tennis and volleyball, four each from billiards & snooker, equestrian, football and kabaddi, three each from golf, three each from adventure sports, badminton and basketball, two each from archery, golf, gymnastics, lawn tennis, polo, powerlifting and rowing, and one each from ball badminton, bodybuilding, cycling, roller skating and squash.

Amongst the notable winners were P. T. Usha (awarded in 1983), nicknamed "queen of track and field". In 1984 Los Angeles Olympics she missed the bronze medal by one-hundredth of a second in 400 metres hurdles,{{cite news |title=PT Usha nominated for IAAF's Veteran Pin |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/athletics/athletics-india-former-runner-athlete-pt-usha-nominated-iaaf-veteran-pin-queen-of-track-and-field-doha/article28542115.ece |accessdate=29 September 2020 |work=Sportstar Hindu |agency=Press Trust of India |date=18 July 2019 |archive-date=29 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229194225/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/athletics/athletics-india-former-runner-athlete-pt-usha-nominated-iaaf-veteran-pin-queen-of-track-and-field-doha/article28542115.ece |url-status=live }} and in 1985 Asian Athletics Championships held in Indonesia, she won five gold medals and a bronze medal.{{cite web |title=I was not a one-race wonder: PT Usha opens up on 'golden period' |url=https://www.olympicchannel.com/en/stories/news/detail/indian-athletics-pt-usha-running-olympics/ |website=Olympic Chaneel |accessdate=29 September 2020}} Bachendri Pal (awarded in 1984), became the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest in 1984, after which she led a number of expeditions including the 1993 Indo-Nepalese Women's Everest Expedition.{{cite web |title=Bachendri Pal |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bachendri-Pal |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica |accessdate=27 September 2020 |archive-date=30 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530001433/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bachendri-Pal |url-status=live }}{{cite press_release|title=Padma Bhushan awardee Bachendri Pal to lead a trek to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of 1993 Indo Nepalese Women's Everest Expedition|url=https://www.tatasteel.com/media/newsroom/press-releases/india/2019/padma-bhushan-awardee-bachendri-pal-to-lead-a-trek-to-commemorate-the-silver-jubilee-of-1993-indo-nepalese-womens-everest-expedition/|publisher=Tata Steel|accessdate=26 September 2020|date=13 April 2019|archive-date=20 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920020350/https://www.tatasteel.com/media/newsroom/press-releases/india/2019/padma-bhushan-awardee-bachendri-pal-to-lead-a-trek-to-commemorate-the-silver-jubilee-of-1993-indo-nepalese-womens-everest-expedition/|url-status=live}} Viswanathan Anand (awarded in 1985) became India's first-ever chess grandmaster in 1988. He would go on to become the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000 and subsequently undisputed World Chess Champion four times in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2012.{{cite web |title=Encyclopaedia Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vishwanathan-Anand |website=Viswanathan Anand |accessdate=27 September 2020 |archive-date=29 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229194117/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Vishwanathan-Anand |url-status=live }} Geet Sethi (awarded in 1985) was a professional English billiards player. He dominated the sport for much of 1990s, becoming the world champion eight times and setting two world records.{{cite news |last1=Subrahmanyam |first1=V. V |title=Sportstar Archives: Geet Sethi – The romance continues |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/pool/sportstararchives-geet-sethi-2008-interview-snooker-and-billiards-cue-sports-world-champion/article31233295.ece |accessdate=29 September 2020 |work=Sportstar Hindu |date=2 April 2020 |archive-date=29 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229194114/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/pool/sportstararchives-geet-sethi-2008-interview-snooker-and-billiards-cue-sports-world-champion/article31233295.ece |url-status=live }}

List of Recipients

File:Padma Bhushan Bachendri Pal (cropped).jpg awarded in 1984]]

File:Viswanathan Anand 1992 Manila.jpg awarded in 1985]]

class="plainrowheaders"

! scope="col" style="vertical-align:top"|

{{Bar graph

| title = Award recipients by year

| float = right

| bar_width = 12

| width_units = em

| data_max = 20

| label_type = Year

| data_type = Number of recipients

| label1 =1980–1981 | data1 =13

| label2 =1981 | data2 =16

| label3 =1982 | data3 =20

| label4 =1983 | data4 =19

| label5 =1984 | data5 =15

| label6 =1985 | data6 =19

| label7 =1986 | data7 =13

| label8 =1987 | data8 =15

| label9 =1988 | data9 =5

| label10 =1989 | data10 =12}}

! scope="col" style="vertical-align:top"|

{{Bar graph

| title = Award recipients by sport

| float = right

| bar_width = 12

| width_units = em

| data_max = 19

| label_type = Sport

| data_type = Number of recipients

| label1 =Adventure Sports | data1 =3

| label2 =Archery | data2 =2

| label3 =Athletics | data3 =19

| label4 =Badminton | data4 =3

| label5 =Basketball | data5 =3

| label6 =Billiards & Snooker | data6 =4

| label7 =Boxing | data7 =7

| label8 =Chess | data8 =6

| label9 =Cricket | data9 =10

| label10 =Equestrian | data10 =4

| label11 =Football | data11 =4

| label12 =Golf | data12 =2

| label13 =Gymnastics | data13 =2

| label14 =Hockey | data14 =10

| label15 =Kabaddi | data15 =4

| label16 =Kho Kho | data16 =5

| label17 =Lawn Tennis | data17 =2

| label18 =Mountaineering | data18 =7

| label19 =Polo | data19 =2

| label20 =Powerlifting | data20 =2

| label21 =Rowing | data21 =2

| label22 =Shooting | data22 =5

| label23 =Swimming | data23 =5

| label24 =Table Tennis | data24 =5

| label25 =Volleyball | data25 =5

| label26 =Weightlifting | data26 =7

| label27 =Wrestling | data27 =6

| label28 =Yachting | data28 =6

| label29 =Ball Badminton
Bodybuilding
Cycling
Roller Skating
Squash | data29 =1|comment29=each}}

class="wikitable"

|+ Key

align=center style="width:50px;background-color:#E0E0D1"|{{small|§}}

|Indicates Para sports

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="width:73%"

|+ List of Arjuna award recipients, showing the year, sport, and gender

! scope="col" style="width:8%" | Year

! scope="col" style="width:30%" | Recipient

! scope="col" style="width:20%" | Sport

! scope="col" style="width:17%" | Gender

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Issac |Amaldas}}

| Boxing

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Chetan |Chauhan}}

| Cricket

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Manjit |Dua}}

| Table Tennis

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Mohammed |Habib|dab=footballer}}

| Football

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Shantaram |Jadhav}}

| Kabaddi

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Rohini |Khadilkar}}

| Chess

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Syed |Kirmani}}

| Cricket

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Ramesh |Krishnan}}

| Lawn Tennis

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Syed |Modi}}

| Badminton

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Eliza |Nelson}}

| Hockey

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Gopal |Saini}}

| Athletics

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Mohammed |Shahid}}

| Hockey

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1980–1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Jagmander |Singh}}

| Wrestling

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Chandraprabha |Aitwal}}

| Mountaineering

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Sabir |Ali}}

| Athletics

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Harshwanti |Bisht}}

| Mountaineering

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|S. P. |Chauhan|dab=sport shooter}}

| Shooting

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Krishna |Das|dab=archer}}

| Archery

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Zarir |Karanjia}}

| Yachting

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Sudhir |Karmakar}}

| Football

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Ganapathy | Manoharan}}

| Boxing

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Monika |Nath}}

| Kabaddi

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Balwant |Sandhu}}

| Mountaineering

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Sushma |Sarolkar}}

| Kho Kho

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Bijaya Kumar |Satpathy}}

| Weightlifting

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Rekha |Sharma|dab=mountaineer}}

| Mountaineering

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Varsha |Soni}}

| Hockey

Female

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|H. M. |Takalkar}}

| Kho Kho

Male

style="text-align:center;" |1981

! scope="row" | {{sortname|Dilip |Vengsarkar}}

| Cricket

Male