1. Sports Awards in India – Overview
- Highest Sporting Honour: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (earlier Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna).
- Instituted: 1991–92 (first awarded 1992).
- Ministry: Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India.
- Selection Body: Ministry + SAI + National Sports Federations + Selection Committee chaired by the Sports Minister.
2. National Sports Awards (Annual)
| Award |
Cash Prize |
First Awardee |
Year Started |
Trophy |
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna |
₹25 lakh |
Viswanathan Anand (Chess) |
1992 |
Golden medal + scroll |
| Arjuna Award |
₹15 lakh |
Krishna Das (Wrestling) |
1961 |
Bronze statue + scroll |
| Dronacharya Award (Regular) |
₹15 lakh |
B.I. Fernandez (Boxing coach) |
1985 |
Bronze statue + scroll |
| Dronacharya Award (Life-time) |
₹15 lakh |
O.M. Nambiar (Athletics) |
2002 |
Bronze statue + scroll |
| Dhyan Chand Award |
₹10 lakh |
Shahuraj Birajdar (Boxing) |
2002 |
Plaque + scroll |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy |
₹15 lakh (institution) |
Punjab University |
1956 |
Rolling trophy |
3. Renaming & Re-branding
- 2021 Aug: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.
- Motto of Awards: “Khelo India, Fitness India”.
4. First-time Facts
- First woman Khel Ratna: Karnam Malleswari (Weightlifting, 1995).
- First para-athlete Khel Ratna: Devendra Jhajharia (Javelin, 2017).
- First team sport Khel Ratna: Sachin Tendulkar (Cricket, 1998).
- First Dronacharya Life-time: O.M. Nambiar (2002).
- First foreign coach Dronacharya: B.I. Fernandez (Cuba-born, 1985).
5. Year-wise Recent Awardees (2023)
| Award |
Name |
Discipline |
| Khel Ratna |
Chirag Shetty & Satwiksairaj Rankireddy |
Badminton |
| Arjuna |
Sift Kaur Samra |
Shooting |
| Arjuna |
Mohammed Shami |
Cricket |
| Dronacharya (Life) |
Lalit Kumar |
Wrestling |
| Dhyan Chand |
Manjusha Kanwar |
Badminton |
6. Dronacharya vs Dhyan Chand Award
- Dronacharya: Active coach (Regular) OR ≥60 yrs with 20 yrs coaching (Life-time).
- Dhyan Chand: Given to retired sportspersons for lifetime contribution to sport.
7. One-liner Revision Facts
- Khel Ratna cash raised from ₹7.5 lakh to ₹25 lakh in 2018.
- Maximum Arjuna awards given in single year: 29 (2020).
- Only cricketer to get both Arjuna & Khel Ratna before Tendulkar: None.
- 1961: Arjuna instituted; 1985: Dronacharya; 2002: Dhyan Chand.
- MAKA Trophy is for top performing university in inter-university events.
8. International Sports Awards (Asked in RRB)
| Award |
Country |
First Indian |
Year |
| Laureus Sports Award |
Global |
Sachin Tendulkar (Exceptional Achievement) |
2015 |
| Olympic Order |
IOC |
Adille Sumariwala (IOA president) |
2022 |
| BBC Sports Personality |
UK |
No Indian winner yet |
— |
| ESPY |
USA |
Mary Kom (Best fighter) |
2021 |
9. MCQ Practice (15+ Questions)
Q1. Who was the first recipient of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna?
Ans. Viswanathan Anand (1992)
Q2. In which year was the Dronacharya Award instituted?
Ans. 1985
Q3. The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy is awarded to:
Ans. Top overall performing university in inter-university events
Q4. What is the current cash prize for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna?
Ans. ₹25 lakh
Q5. Who among the following was the first para-athlete to win Khel Ratna?
Ans. Devendra Jhajharia
Q6. The Dhyan Chand Award is given for:
Ans. Lifetime contribution to sports after retirement
Q7. First woman to receive Khel Ratna?
Ans. Karnam Malleswari (1995)
Q8. The Arjuna Award was started in:
Ans. 1961
Q9. Which of these awards is given to coaches only?
Ans. Dronacharya Award
Q10. In 2021, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna was renamed as:
Ans. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
Q11. Who got the Dhyan Chand Award in 2023?
Ans. Manjusha Kanwar (Badminton)
Q12. Which Indian university first won the MAKA Trophy?
Ans. Punjab University (1956–57)
Q13. Maximum number of Arjuna awards given in a single year:
Ans. 29 (2020)
Q14. Who among the following received the Dronacharya Award for cricket coaching?
Ans. Ramakant Acharekar (1990)
Q15. The Olympic Order is the highest award of:
Ans. International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Q16. Laureus Sports Award to Sachin Tendulkar was in the category of:
Ans. Exceptional Achievement
10. Quick Revision Table (Memory Hack)
| Year |
New Award Introduced |
First Awardee |
| 1961 |
Arjuna |
Krishna Das |
| 1985 |
Dronacharya |
B.I. Fernandez |
| 1992 |
Khel Ratna |
Viswanathan Anand |
| 2002 |
Dhyan Chand |
Shahuraj Birajdar |
| 2021 |
Renamed Khel Ratna |
— |
Last Tip: Every RRB GK section has 2-3 questions from sports awards – remember firsts, cash prizes, renaming year and recent 2023 names.
BETA
