Indian Railways has highest number of sports award winners: Ministry

Jyothi Yarraji. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Indian Railway, as a single organisation, has the highest number of sportspersons who have been bestowed with prestigious sports awards in the country, the Railway Ministry said in a press statement on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

According to the Ministry, in 2024, out of 32 players shortlisted for Arjuna Awards, five came from Indian Railways.

The five were Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani, Salima Tete, Swapnil Suresh Kusale, and Aman. They will receive the awards from the President of India at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17, it said in a statement to the press.

“With these 5 Arjuna Awards, there are a total 183 Arjuna, 28 Padma Shri, 12 Dhyan Chand, 13 Dronacharya and 9 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awardees in the basket of Indian Railways, which in itself is the largest number of such awardees for any single organization in India,” the Ministry said.

Giving credit to its sports wing, the Railway Sports Promotion Board, or RSPB, it said that the board has made a huge contribution in promoting sports across the country since 1928.

“The modest beginning of promoting hockey, athletics and tennis, now RSPB has become an important organization in the promotion of sports in the country and presently has 29 game disciplines- 18 individual games and 11 team games,” the statement said.

It added, “RSPB is affiliated with 28 National Sports Federations and also affiliated with USIC (World Railways Sports Association).” According to the Ministry, Indian Railways have supported a sizeable number of sportspersons through jobs.

“As on date, more than 9000 sportspersons are on roll of Indian Railways in 29 game disciplines of whom about 3000 are active sportspersons,” it said.

“The performances of IR sportspersons in international prestigious events have been outstanding,” the press note added.