'Sports Gratitude' award instituted

Leading sportsmen and coaches of the country have joined hands to institute the 'Sports Gratitude' award, which will be presented annually to the most outstanding sports administrator of the country.

The award will carry Rs 500,000 in cash and a memento.

This was disclosed by Dronacharya award winner Raghunandan Gokhale and national motocross champion Shyam Kothari, in a statement on Thursday.

The award is expected to be a trend setter to express gratitude to those who ceaselessly work to promote sports, and whose contributions have generally remained unsung and unheralded, the release said.

The first award this year will be given to a leading sports organiser of the country, and from next year, the awards will be presented to technical officials, sports journalists, sports photographers, commentators, sponsors, groundsmen of major sports grounds and others, the release added.

Former All England badminton champion Prakash Padukone, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee and mercurial hockey striker Dhanraj Pillay, ace athlete Jyotirmoy Sikdar are among those who have confirmed to work on the advisory committee for the awards, the release said.