Delhi High Court Asks Centre To Update Khel Ratna Award Rules For Hearing Impaired Athletes

The Delhi High Court has instructed the Centre to swiftly establish suitable criteria for awarding the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, 2025 to hearing-impaired athletes, highlighting that the current

criteria are discriminatory against them compared to para sportspersons.

The court emphasised that the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 does not allow discrimination between individuals with hearing impairments and those with physical or locomotor disabilities.

In relation to the ‘Scheme of Cash Awards for Medal Winners’ in international sports events, the court noted that the exclusion of deaf sportspersons creates a discriminatory environment.

Justice Sachin Datta, in a ruling issued on Monday, directed that the criteria be developed promptly to enable deaf athletes to submit their applications for the award and ordered the extension of the application deadline, originally set for October 28.

The court was considering a petition filed by Virender Singh, an internationally acclaimed hearing-impaired wrestler and multiple Deaflympics gold medallist, along with another deaf athlete.

The petitioners, represented by advocate Ajay Verma, contested the exclusion of deaf athletes from significant government sports schemes and alleged discriminatory treatment compared to para-athletes, seeking equal treatment.

It was noted that the criteria for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2025 do not provide for hearing-impaired athletes.

After reviewing the criteria, the court observed that hearing-impaired athletes are excluded from applying or being considered for the award, which is discriminatory against them compared to para-athletes.

“In this context, the petitioners’ argument that the criteria unfairly discriminate against deaf sportspersons is valid,” the court stated.

With PTI Inputs