Arjuna Award for Kabaddi: From Sahanand Mahadev Shetty to Pawan Sehrawat - get full list

The Arjuna Award for Kabaddi was first conferred to Maharashtra’s Sahanand Mahadev Shetty in 1972.

Sahanand Mahadev Shetty, a former all-rounder from Maharashtra, was bestowed with the Arjuna award after he won 12 Senior National Championship titles with Indian Railways.

Officially known as Arjuna Awards given for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, the Arjuna Award is India’s second-highest sporting honour. The prestigious award is bestowed on annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The Arjuna award was the highest sporting honour in India until the introduction of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 1991-92. 

The nominations for the Arjuna award are received from National Sports Federations, Indian Olympics Associations, Sports Authority of India and state and union territory governments.

Maharashtra’s Shakuntala Pandarinath Khatavkar was kabaddi’s first female Arjuna awardee in 1978.

Since 1972, the Arjuna award for Kabaddi recognises the best performers in a year in the sport.

The likes of Ajay Thakur, Deepak Hooda, Sandeep Narwal and Manjeet Chhillar are some of the prominent names who have been conferred with the Arjuna award for Kabaddi.

Pawan Sehrawat and Ritu Negi were the latest to join the elite list after they were conferred with the prestigious award in 2023. Get Arjuna Award for Kabaddi list.

Arjuna Award for Kabaddi: Get full winners list

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