Arjuna, Khel Ratna and Dronacharya Awards: Key Facts
India’s national sports awards for exams: the year each was instituted, who is eligible, the Khel Ratna renaming of 2021, first recipients and the other sports honours.
By GK24 Editorial Team· Published · 3 min read
India’s national sports awards are given every year by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and are conferred by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. A selection committee, chaired by a retired judge and containing sportspersons, coaches and administrators, recommends the names, and the Ministry invites applications for each award in advance. Examinations ask a narrow set of facts about them: the year each award began, the class of person it honours, the change of name in 2021 and the first recipients.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
The Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour of India. It was instituted in 1991–92 and is given for the most outstanding performance in sport over the four years preceding the award, so a single good season does not qualify a player. Its first recipient was the chess player Viswanathan Anand, in 1991–92, and the weightlifter Karnam Malleswari was the first woman to receive it, in 1994–95. The award consists of a medal, a certificate or scroll of honour and a cash prize, and more than one sportsperson may receive it in the same year. It was known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna until August 2021, when it was renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award after the hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.
Arjuna Award
The Arjuna Award is the oldest of the set, instituted in 1961. It honours consistently outstanding performance over the four years before the award, and the recipient gets a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll and a cash prize. It covers the disciplines of the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games, cricket, the indigenous games and sport for persons with disabilities, and a small number of awards is given in each year. Because it recognises consistency while the Khel Ratna recognises the peak of performance, a player often receives the Arjuna Award first and the Khel Ratna later.
Dronacharya Award
The Dronacharya Award, instituted in 1985, is for coaches, not players. It goes to those who have trained sportspersons to medals at the Olympic, Asian, Commonwealth or World Championship level, and it is given in two categories, Regular and Lifetime, so that a coach still in service and one honoured for a whole career are judged separately. The award carries a statuette of Dronacharya, the teacher of archery in the Mahabharata, a scroll and a cash prize.
The other national sports honours
| Award | Instituted | Given for |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | 1991–92 | The most outstanding performance in sport, over four years |
| Arjuna Award | 1961 | Consistently outstanding performance by a sportsperson |
| Dronacharya Award | 1985 | Coaches, in Regular and Lifetime categories |
| Dhyan Chand Award | 2002 | Lifetime achievement, including work after retirement |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | 2009 | Companies, boards and voluntary bodies that promote sport |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy | 1956–57 | The best overall university in the inter-university tournaments |
| Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award | 1994 | Adventure on land, at sea and in the air, and lifetime work |
National Sports Day and Dhyan Chand
The awards ceremony is tied to National Sports Day, observed on 29 August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, who was born in 1905 and whose hockey teams won Olympic gold at Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1956, and the name of the Khel Ratna, the Dhyan Chand Award and the National Stadium at Delhi all carry his name. Because the renaming of 2021 changed only the name and not the nature of the award, questions on the Khel Ratna often test the old name and the new one together.
How the examination uses these facts
Three pairs settle most questions. First, the years: 1961 for Arjuna, 1985 for Dronacharya, 1991–92 for Khel Ratna and 2002 for the Dhyan Chand Award. Second, the class of recipient: a player for the Arjuna, a coach for the Dronacharya, an organisation for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar and a university for the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy. Third, the firsts: Viswanathan Anand as the first Khel Ratna and Karnam Malleswari as the first woman to win it.
Exam Point of View
Papers ask four things. The year of institution, where the order 1961, 1985, 1991–92 and 2002 must be firm. The category of recipient, where the trap is to offer a coach’s award for a player’s question, or the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar where an individual is wanted. The 2021 renaming of the Khel Ratna from Rajiv Gandhi to Major Dhyan Chand, which has been asked repeatedly since. And the firsts: Viswanathan Anand, and Karnam Malleswari as the first woman. Questions on a particular year’s winners also appear, usually in a discipline such as hockey, wrestling or table tennis, and they can only be answered from the list of that year, so read the year in the question before the names.
Important Facts
| Khel Ratna instituted | 1991–92; India’s highest sporting honour |
|---|---|
| Khel Ratna renamed | August 2021, as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award |
| First Khel Ratna | Viswanathan Anand, chess, 1991–92 |
| First woman Khel Ratna | Karnam Malleswari, weightlifting, 1994–95 |
| Arjuna Award instituted | 1961; bronze statuette of Arjuna |
| Dronacharya Award instituted | 1985; for coaches, in Regular and Lifetime categories |
| Dhyan Chand Award instituted | 2002; for lifetime achievement in sport |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | 2009; for companies and bodies promoting sport |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy | 1956–57; best overall university in inter-university tournaments |
| Tenzing Norgay Award | 1994; for adventure on land, at sea and in the air |
| Ministry | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports; awards conferred by the President |
| National Sports Day | 29 August, birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand |
Practice MCQs on this topic
Who won the Dronacharya Award for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games 2021 (Regular Category) in Table Tennis discipline?
- A.Manika Batra
- B.Sathiyan Gnanasekaran
- C.Mouma Das
- D.Subramanian Raman
Show answer
He received the Dronacharya Award of 2021 in the Regular category for table tennis, the award given to coaches whose trainees reach the podium at the Olympic, Asian, Commonwealth or World Championship level.
Read the full explanation →Who was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna Award, now called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award?
- A.Leander Paes
- B.Viswanathan Anand
- C.Sachin Tendulkar
- D.Karnam Malleswari
Show answer
The award was instituted in 1991–92 and the chess grandmaster received it in that very first year, which is the fact papers return to most often.
Read the full explanation →In which year was the Arjuna Award instituted?
- A.1961
- B.1985
- C.1991
- D.2002
Show answer
The Arjuna Award is the oldest of the national sports awards and honours a sportsperson for consistently outstanding performance over the four years before the award; the recipient is given a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll of honour and a cash prize.
Read the full explanation →The Dronacharya Award is given to which of the following?
- A.Sportspersons for lifetime contribution to sport
- B.Universities with the best sporting performance
- C.Coaches who have trained medal winners
- D.Corporate bodies that promote sport
Show answer
Instituted in 1985, the Dronacharya Award honours coaches whose trainees have won medals at the Olympic, Asian or Commonwealth Games or at a World Championship, and it is given in two categories, Regular and Lifetime.
Read the full explanation →In which year was the Dronacharya Award instituted?
- A.1961
- B.1975
- C.1981
- D.1985
Show answer
The Dronacharya Award began in 1985, twenty-four years after the Arjuna Award, and it was the first national honour meant for coaches rather than players; the Lifetime category was added later so that a long career of coaching could be recognised separately from recent work.
Read the full explanation →In 2021 the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was renamed after which person?
- A.Milkha Singh
- B.Major Dhyan Chand
- C.Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- D.Balbir Singh Sr.
Show answer
In August 2021 the Government renamed the country’s highest sporting honour the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, after the hockey player whose teams won Olympic gold at Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936.
Read the full explanation →National Sports Day is observed in India on 29 August, the birth anniversary of:
- A.Major Dhyan Chand
- B.Milkha Singh
- C.Balbir Singh Sr.
- D.K. D. Jadhav
Show answer
He was born on 29 August 1905, and India has observed National Sports Day on that date since 2012; the national sports awards are tied to the day and are conferred by the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Read the full explanation →Which national sports award, instituted in 2002, is given for lifetime achievement in sports and games?
- A.Arjuna Award
- B.Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
- C.Dhyan Chand Award
- D.Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy
Show answer
Instituted in 2002, it honours sportspersons for the whole of their contribution to their sport, including what they have done for it after their playing days ended, which sets it apart from the awards given for recent performance.
Read the full explanation →The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy is awarded to:
- A.the best coach of the year
- B.the best performing state in the National Games
- C.the corporate body that promotes sport best
- D.the university with the best overall performance in inter-university tournaments
Show answer
Instituted in 1956–57 and named after independent India’s first education minister, it is the oldest of the national sports honours and the only one given to a university, which makes it a favourite question.
Read the full explanation →Who was the first woman to receive the Khel Ratna Award?
- A.Karnam Malleswari
- B.P. T. Usha
- C.Kunjarani Devi
- D.Mary Kom
Show answer
The weightlifter received the Khel Ratna in 1994–95, becoming the first woman to be honoured with it, and she went on to win the bronze at the Sydney Olympics of 2000, India’s first Olympic medal by a woman.
Read the full explanation →The Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, instituted in 2009, is given to:
- A.individual athletes for outstanding performance
- B.coaches in the lifetime category
- C.corporate entities, sports control boards and voluntary bodies that promote sport
- D.universities and colleges
Show answer
Instituted in 2009, it recognises the organisations that build sport rather than the people who play it, under heads such as identifying and nurturing young talent, providing employment to sportspersons and developing sports infrastructure.
Read the full explanation →The national sports awards of India are conferred by:
- A.the Prime Minister of India
- B.the President of India
- C.the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
- D.the President of the Indian Olympic Association
Show answer
The awards are conferred at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the recipient receives the medal or statuette, a certificate or scroll of honour and a cash prize from the President.
Read the full explanation →Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the highest sporting award of India?
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, instituted in 1991–92. It is given for the most outstanding performance in sport over the four years before the award and was called the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna until August 2021.
Who was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna Award?
The chess player Viswanathan Anand, in 1991–92, the first year of the award. Karnam Malleswari, the weightlifter, became the first woman to receive it, in 1994–95.
What is the difference between the Arjuna Award and the Dronacharya Award?
The Arjuna Award, from 1961, honours a sportsperson for consistently outstanding performance. The Dronacharya Award, from 1985, honours a coach whose trainees have won medals at the highest level, and it has Regular and Lifetime categories.
Why was the Khel Ratna renamed in 2021?
The Government renamed it after Major Dhyan Chand, the hockey player whose teams won Olympic gold in 1928, 1932 and 1936, in August 2021. Only the name changed; the criteria and the procedure remained the same.
Which award goes to a university rather than a person?
The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy, instituted in 1956–57, which is given to the university with the best overall performance in the inter-university tournaments of the year.
On which day are the national sports awards linked?
They are tied to National Sports Day, 29 August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, and are conferred by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Sources
- National Sports Awards: schemes, eligibility and categories — Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India
- National Portal of India: Awards and Honours — Government of India
