Sports Awards and Personalities
This domain tests India’s major sports awards, who receives them, and well-known Indian sportspersons. You should be able to match an award to its purpose and a personality to a sport.
Awards
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: the highest sporting honour, for outstanding and inspiring performance over a period. It was formerly the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
- Arjuna Award: for outstanding performance in national and international competitions.
- Dronacharya Award: for coaches who produce outstanding performers.
- Dhyan Chand Award: for lifetime achievement in sports and games.
- Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award: for adventure sports.
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar: for organisations and individuals promoting sports.
Personalities to know
Major Dhyan Chand is associated with hockey; Milkha Singh with athletics; P.T. Usha with sprinting; Abhinav Bindra with shooting; Neeraj Chopra with javelin; Mary Kom with boxing; Saina Nehwal and P.V. Sindhu with badminton; Sachin Tendulkar with cricket.
Worked example
A coach trains a junior athlete who later wins an international medal. The coach is eligible for the Dronacharya Award. The athlete’s own outstanding performance would be considered for the Arjuna Award, while a lifetime contribution would fit the Dhyan Chand Award. The reasoning is that each award has a different target group: coach, current performer and lifetime contributor.
Marks-losing traps
Do not give Dronacharya to players; it is for coaches. Do not call the Khel Ratna the Arjuna Award. Do not assume an award follows participation alone. Do not confuse Dhyan Chand the hockey legend with the Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement.