Indian Railways Achieves Highest Number of Sports Award Winners in India, Including Five Arjuna Awardees

Indian Railways boasts the highest number of athletes honoured with top sports awards in India, according to a statement from the Railway Ministry. In 2024, five out of 32 athletes shortlisted for the Arjuna Awards were from Indian Railways. These athletes, Jyothi Yarraji, Annu Rani, Salima Tete, Swapnil Suresh Kusale, and Aman, will receive their awards from the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 17.

Railway Sports Promotion Board's Role

The Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) has played a significant role in advancing sports in India since 1928. Initially focusing on hockey, athletics, and tennis, RSPB now supports 29 sports disciplines—18 individual and 11 team games. The board is affiliated with 28 National Sports Federations and the USIC World Railways Sports Association.

Indian Railways has a remarkable record of awardees, with 183 Arjuna Awards, 28 Padma Shri, 12 Dhyan Chand, 13 Dronacharya, and 9 Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna recipients. This makes it the organisation with the most such awardees in India. The ministry attributes this success to its dedicated sports wing.

Support for Sportspersons

Indian Railways has provided employment to over 9,000 sportspersons across 29 game disciplines. Of these, around 3,000 are active athletes. The ministry highlighted that Indian Railways athletes have delivered outstanding performances at international events.

The ministry's statement emphasised that Indian Railways' commitment to supporting athletes has been instrumental in their success. The organisation's efforts have significantly contributed to the development of sports talent across the nation.

The achievements of Indian Railways in nurturing sports talent reflect its dedication to promoting athletics at both national and international levels. This commitment continues to yield impressive results as more athletes gain recognition for their accomplishments.