CHENNAI: As reported by this daily on April 26, the sports ministry on Tuesday asked aspirants for this year’s national sports awards to e-mail nominations. The decision to invite soft copies was taken due the coronavirus outbreak.
The pandemic and subsequent lockdown delayed the process, which usually begins in April. The last date of filing nominations is June 3. Online submission makes the process simpler. In the past, aspirants had to send hard copies or submit them physically.
“Due to lockdown on account of outbreak of COVID-19, hard copies of nominations are not required to be sent. Scanned copies of nominations duly signed by the applicant and recommending authority may be sent before last date of submission,” read a ministry circular.
The process might have got delayed by a month, but the day on which the awards are presented — National Sports Day, August 19 — might remain unchanged, as was reported by this daily.