Discuss the role of state recognition (National Sports Awards) in sustaining excellence in Indian sport, citing examples.

The National Sports Awards — the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, conferred annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports [2] — are the state's principal instrument for honouring sporting merit. Their contribution to sustaining excellence is real, but works only as one link in a wider ecosystem.

Recognition as motivation and material support

• Public conferment by the President converts a private career into a national example, giving athletes visibility and sponsorship value.
• Timing matters: Smriti Mandhana received the Arjuna Award in 2018 [1], mid-career, and went on to cross 10,000 international runs [6] — recognition read as institutional backing, not a farewell honour.
• The government's enhancement of award prize money [3] raises the material return, which matters most for athletes from modest backgrounds.

Recognition of the wider support system

• The Dronacharya Award honours coaches and the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar honours institutions [2], rewarding the ecosystem that produces champions rather than the podium alone.
• Awards sit at the visible apex of a policy pipeline: Khelo India feeding the Target Olympic Podium Scheme [5], now framed by Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and its 2036 Olympic ambition [4].
• Honouring women achievers carries a demonstration effect, widening participation and advancing gender equity in sport.

Limitations

• Awards are post-facto; they reward excellence already achieved rather than creating grassroots facilities.
• Recognition skews toward high-visibility sports; for cricketers, international honours such as ICC awards [7] often carry greater career weight than state honours.
• Periodic disputes over selection criteria and litigation dilute credibility.

State recognition therefore sustains excellence indirectly — by signalling value, rewarding coaches and institutions, and anchoring a talent pipeline. Making criteria transparent and objective, and linking awardees to mentorship roles under Khelo Bharat Niti, would convert honour into a renewable resource for the next generation of athletes.