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| Former President Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Arjuna Award to Wrestler (Deaf) Virender Singh during the Sports and Adventure Awards 2016 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on August 29, 2016 |
05.11.2025
The court, in the order passed on Monday, said the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 leaves no scope of discrimination between persons having hearing impairment vis-a-vis those having physical or locomotor disability
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to frame appropriate criteria for conferring the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, 2025 on hearing impaired sportspersons, noting that the existing criteria discriminates against them vis-a-vis para sportspersons.
The court, in the order passed on Monday (November 3, 2025), said the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 leaves no scope of discrimination between persons having hearing impairment vis-a-vis those having physical or locomotor disability.
It added, in the context of the ‘Scheme of Cash Awards for Medal Winners’ in international sports events, lack of opportunity for deaf sportspersons has the impact of creating a discriminatory regime.
Justice Sachin Datta said the criteria be framed expeditiously to enable the deaf sportspersons to submit applications for the purpose of award, and directed that the deadline, which was October 28, for submission of applications be extended suitably.
The court was hearing a plea by Mr. Virender Singh, internationally renowned hearing impaired wrestler, multi-time Deaflympics gold medallist and an Arjuna Awardee, along with another deaf sportsperson.
Mr. Singh, represented by advocate Ajay Verma, challenged exclusion of deaf athletes from key government sports schemes and alleged discriminatory treatment vis-a-vis para-athletes and sought parity between deaf and para-athletes.
His plea stated that while framing the criteria for conferring the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2025, no dispensation is created for hearing impaired sportspersons.
After going through the criteria, the court observed that there is no scope for hearing impaired sportspersons to even apply or be considered for conferment of the award, making it discriminatory against deaf sportspersons vis-a-vis para sportspersons.
“In the above conspectus, there is merit in the contentions of the petitioner/applicant that the aforesaid criteria discriminate against deaf sportspersons vis-a-vis para sportspersons,” it said.
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to frame appropriate criteria for conferring the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, 2025 on hearing impaired sportspersons, noting that the existing criteria discriminates against them vis-a-vis para sportspersons.
The court, in the order passed on Monday (November 3, 2025), said the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 leaves no scope of discrimination between persons having hearing impairment vis-a-vis those having physical or locomotor disability.
It added, in the context of the ‘Scheme of Cash Awards for Medal Winners’ in international sports events, lack of opportunity for deaf sportspersons has the impact of creating a discriminatory regime.
Justice Sachin Datta said the criteria be framed expeditiously to enable the deaf sportspersons to submit applications for the purpose of award, and directed that the deadline, which was October 28, for submission of applications be extended suitably.
The court was hearing a plea by Mr. Virender Singh, internationally renowned hearing impaired wrestler, multi-time Deaflympics gold medallist and an Arjuna Awardee, along with another deaf sportsperson.
Mr. Singh, represented by advocate Ajay Verma, challenged exclusion of deaf athletes from key government sports schemes and alleged discriminatory treatment vis-a-vis para-athletes and sought parity between deaf and para-athletes.
His plea stated that while framing the criteria for conferring the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2025, no dispensation is created for hearing impaired sportspersons.
After going through the criteria, the court observed that there is no scope for hearing impaired sportspersons to even apply or be considered for conferment of the award, making it discriminatory against deaf sportspersons vis-a-vis para sportspersons.
“In the above conspectus, there is merit in the contentions of the petitioner/applicant that the aforesaid criteria discriminate against deaf sportspersons vis-a-vis para sportspersons,” it said.
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