P T Usha to head panel for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards

File photo of P.T. Usha.

P T Usha, one of the greatest athletes produced by India, will chair the Selection Committee for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Awards for the year 2010.

The 17-member committee will also select the winners of the Dhyanchand Award for Lifetime Achievements in Sports and the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, an official press release said.

Other members of the committee include Aparna Popat (badminton), M Somaya (hockey), Nisha Millet (swimming), Leander Paes (tennis), Karnam Malleshwari (weightlifting), Limba Ram (archery), Adhiraj Singh (equestrian), Mohammed Habib (football) and Sriram Bhavasar (kabaddi).

The committee also includes Mr Pradip Singh, Commissioner, Disabilities, Government of Delhi, Mr S G Baruah, Director (Sports), Government of Assam, Mr Sayan Chatterjee, Director General, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Mr Injeti Srinivas, Joint Secretary, Sports, Department of Sports, Mr Pravir Krishn, Special Officer, SAI (Special Invitee) and Ms Deepika Kachhal, Director (Sports), Department of Sports, who will be the Member-Secretary.

The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna is given to an individual sportsperson every year. It consists of a cash amount of Rs 7.5 lakh, a scroll of honour and a medal.

The Arjuna Award consists of a statuette, a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress and a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.

The Dhyanchand Award consists of a plaque , a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress and a cash award of Rs 5 lakh.

The Rastriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar, instituted last year , has four categories: community sports development, promotion of sports academies of excellence, support to elite sportspersons and academies of excellence, support to elite sportspersons and employment to sportspersons. The award carries a trophy and citation.

The Government also announced former hockey star Ashok Kumar will head the Selection Committee for the Dronacharya Award for 2010 to be given to an outstanding coach.

Other members of the committee are Vandana Rao (athletics), Rajendra Prasad (boxing), Mohammed Zulfiqaruddin (football), Anjali Bhagwat (shooting), Manjit Dua (table tennis), Gurcharan Singh (cricket), Ismail Baig (rowing), G E Sreedharan (volleyball) and Cyrus M Poncha (squash).

Officials on the committee included Ms Jhanjha Tripathi, Secretary, Railway Sports Promotion Board, Mr U K S Chauhan, Secretary (Sports), Government of Kerala, Mr Sayan Chatterjee, Director General, Sports Authority of India, Mr Injeti Srinivas, Joint Secretary (Sports), Department of Sports, Mr Pravir Krishn, Special Officer, SAI and Ms Deepika Kachhal, Director (Sports), Department of Sports, who will be the Member-Secretary.

Ordinarily, not more than five Dronacharya Awards are given in a year. The award comprises a plaque, a scroll of honour, ceremonial dress, and cash prize of Rs 5 lakh.

NNN