List of Important Sports Awards and Trophies in India and the World – Static GK & General Awareness for Competitive Exams with Memory Tricks
This article presents a complete list of India's National Sports Awards – the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Arjuna Award (Lifetime), MAKA Trophy, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar, and Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award – along with their year of institution, cash prize, and famous recipients. It also covers important national and international sports cups and trophies (Ranji Trophy, Durand Cup, Thomas Cup, Davis Cup, FIFA World Cup, and more) with memory tricks and one-liners for quick revision. All facts are arranged in exam-ready format to help UPSC, SSC, IBPS, RRB, PSU, and State PCS aspirants score better in the General Awareness and Sports sections.
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Introduction
Sports awards and trophies are among the most frequently tested topics in the General Awareness section of competitive exams. Every year, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports confers the National Sports Awards on India's finest athletes and coaches, with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award being the highest sporting honour of the country, followed by the Arjuna Award for athletes and the Dronacharya Award for coaches. Alongside these, hundreds of national and international cups and trophies - from the Ranji Trophy in cricket to the Thomas Cup in badminton and the FIFA World Cup in football - form a high-scoring static GK area.
Questions on sports awards appear regularly in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, IBPS PO, RRB NTPC, SBI Clerk, State PCS, and various Insurance and Defence exams. Examiners typically ask which award is the highest sporting honour, in which year a particular award was instituted, who the recent recipients were, the cash prize attached to an award, or which trophy is associated with which sport. This article brings together every important sports award and trophy in a structured, exam-ready format. To explore other related topics, you can refer to the Static GK section on thejobsme.com and stay updated with the Daily Current Affairs page for the latest award announcements.
Sports awards are also closely linked to current affairs themes - such as the National Sports Awards ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the renaming of the Khel Ratna in 2021, the rationalisation of the lifetime award in 2024, and India's medal performance at the Olympics, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. This makes the topic doubly important, as facts often shift between the static GK and current affairs sections from one exam cycle to the next.
Core Concepts: Understanding India's Sports Awards
India's National Sports Awards are a group of honours presented annually by the President of India, usually on National Sports Day (29 August), which marks the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. Understanding the purpose, hierarchy, and history of each award helps students answer factual and matching questions with confidence.
Types of Sports Honours
- Performance Awards for Athletes: Recognise outstanding international performance. Example: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (highest), Arjuna Award (second-highest).
- Coaching Awards: Honour coaches who produce medal winners. Example: Dronacharya Award.
- Lifetime Achievement Awards: Honour long-term contribution to sport. Example: Arjuna Award (Lifetime), earlier the Dhyan Chand Award.
- Institutional / University Awards: Reward top-performing universities and organisations. Example: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
- Adventure Awards: Recognise excellence in land, sea, and air adventure. Example: Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award.
- Cups and Trophies: Awarded to winning teams or players in specific tournaments. Example: Ranji Trophy (cricket), Durand Cup (football), Thomas Cup (badminton).
India's National Sports Awards - Complete List
The following table lists all major National Sports Awards along with the year of institution, the purpose, the cash prize, and key facts most relevant to exams.
| Award | Instituted / Key Facts | Details / Cash Prize |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award | Instituted in 1991-92 as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award; renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in August 2021. | India's highest sporting honour; given for outstanding performance over the previous four years; comprises a medallion, certificate, and a cash prize of Rs. 25 lakh. First recipient: chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand (1991-92). Youngest recipient: Abhinav Bindra (2001, aged 18). First woman recipient: Karnam Malleswari (1994-95). |
| Arjuna Award | Instituted in 1961; named after Arjuna of the Mahabharata. | India's second-highest sporting honour; given for consistent outstanding performance over four years; comprises a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh. Was the highest sporting award before the Khel Ratna was introduced in 1991-92. |
| Dronacharya Award | Instituted in 1985; named after Guru Drona of the Mahabharata. | India's highest honour for coaches; given for producing medal winners at international events; awarded in Regular and Lifetime categories; comprises a bronze statuette of Dronacharya, a certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize of Rs. 15 lakh. First recipients (1985): Bhalchandra Bhagwat (wrestling), Om Prakash Bhardwaj (boxing), and O. M. Nambiar (athletics). |
| Arjuna Award (Lifetime) - earlier Dhyan Chand Award | Instituted in 2002 as the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement; renamed Arjuna Award (Lifetime) in 2024. | Honours sportspersons for their contribution during and after their active career; comprises a statuette, certificate, ceremonial dress, and a cash prize. First recipients (2002): Shahuraj Birajdar (boxing), Ashok Diwan (hockey), and Aparna Ghosh (basketball). |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy | Instituted in 1956-57; the oldest of the National Sports Awards. | Given to the top-performing university in inter-university tournaments; this is the only National Sports Award without a cash prize for an individual - the winning university receives a trophy and a cash grant. |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | Instituted in 2009. | Given to corporates, organisations, and individuals (other than sportspersons and coaches) for promotion and development of sports; awarded under categories such as community sports, sports infrastructure, and employment to sportspersons. |
| Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award | Instituted in 1994; conferred alongside the National Sports Awards since 2004. | India's highest adventure-sports honour; named after Tenzing Norgay, the first to summit Mt. Everest (with Edmund Hillary, 1953); given for outstanding achievement in land, sea, and air adventure, plus a lifetime achievement category. |
Recent Khel Ratna Award Winners (2024)
The National Sports Awards 2024 were conferred by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 17 January 2025. Four athletes received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award that year.
| Recipient | Sport | Key Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Manu Bhaker | Shooting | Double Olympic medal-winning shooter at the Paris 2024 Olympics. |
| D. Gukesh | Chess | Became the youngest World Chess Champion at 18; led India to gold at the Chess Olympiad. |
| Harmanpreet Singh | Hockey | Captain of the Indian men's hockey team; led the side to a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. |
| Praveen Kumar | Para-Athletics (High Jump) | Won the T64 high jump gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. |
Important Sports Cups and Trophies
Apart from government awards, many tournaments have their own famous cups and trophies. These are tested heavily in SSC, Banking, and Railways exams as direct one-liner or match-the-following questions. The tables below group them by sport.
Cricket Cups and Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Level | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| ICC Cricket World Cup | International | Premier ODI cricket tournament held every four years; India won in 1983, 2011. |
| Ranji Trophy | National (India) | India's premier domestic first-class championship; named after cricketer Ranjitsinhji; first played in 1934 between Madras and Mysore. |
| Duleep Trophy | National (India) | Zonal domestic cricket tournament; named after Duleepsinhji. |
| Deodhar Trophy | National (India) | Domestic limited-overs tournament contested between zonal/representative teams; named after D. B. Deodhar. |
| Vijay Hazare Trophy | National (India) | Domestic one-day tournament played between states; named after Vijay Hazare. |
| Irani Trophy | National (India) | Played between the Ranji Trophy champion and the Rest of India. |
| Border-Gavaskar Trophy | International | Test series contested between India and Australia. |
| The Ashes | International | Historic Test cricket rivalry between England and Australia. |
Football Cups and Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Level | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | International | World's premier football tournament; first held in 1930; the original trophy was the Jules Rimet Trophy (used 1930-1970), replaced by the current FIFA World Cup Trophy in 1974. |
| UEFA Champions League | International (Club) | Top European club football competition. |
| Durand Cup | National (India) | One of India's oldest football tournaments; started in 1888; named after Sir Mortimer Durand. |
| Santosh Trophy | National (India) | Football championship contested between states and government institutions. |
| BC Roy Trophy | National (India) | Indian football competition for players under the age of 19. |
Hockey Cups and Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Level | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Beighton Cup | National (India) | One of the oldest hockey tournaments in India; donated by Thomas Beighton in 1895; later run by the Calcutta Hockey League from 1905. |
| Aga Khan Cup | National (India) | A long-running Indian hockey tournament. |
| Murugappa Gold Cup | National (India) | Field hockey tournament held in Chennai; named after the Murugappa Group. |
| Dhyan Chand Trophy | National (India) | Hockey tournament named after the hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand. |
Badminton, Tennis and Table Tennis Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Sport | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas Cup | Badminton (Men) | Men's international team badminton championship; founded by Sir George Thomas in 1939; first held in 1948. India won in 2022. |
| Uber Cup | Badminton (Women) | Women's international team badminton championship. |
| Sudirman Cup | Badminton (Mixed) | World mixed team badminton championship. |
| Davis Cup | Tennis (Men) | Premier international men's team tennis competition. |
| Wimbledon Trophy | Tennis | Awarded at the oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament, held in London. |
| Corbillon Cup | Table Tennis (Women) | Women's team event at the World Table Tennis Championships. |
| Swaythling Cup | Table Tennis (Men) | Men's team event at the World Table Tennis Championships. |
Other Sports Trophies
| Trophy / Cup | Sport | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ryder Cup | Golf | Golf competition played every two years between teams from Europe and the USA; began in 1927. |
| Stanley Cup | Ice Hockey | Awarded to the NHL champions; the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. |
| Webb Ellis Cup | Rugby | Awarded to the winner of the Rugby World Cup. |
| Derby Trophy | Horse Racing | Associated with horse racing. |
| Bharat Kesari | Wrestling | An Indian wrestling title/tournament. |
Memory Tricks and Mnemonics
Trick 1: Award Hierarchy — "Khel First, Arjuna Next, Drona for Coach"
Remember the order of importance of India's top three sports awards:
- Khel Ratna → Highest sporting honour (athletes).
- Arjuna Award → Second-highest (athletes).
- Dronacharya Award → Highest for coaches.
"The student (Arjuna) is honoured, but the teacher (Drona) trains the champions."
Trick 2: Years of Institution — "56-61-85-91"
Memorise the founding years in ascending order using the sequence "56, 61, 85, 91, 02, 09":
- 1956-57 → MAKA Trophy (oldest).
- 1961 → Arjuna Award.
- 1985 → Dronacharya Award.
- 1991-92 → Khel Ratna.
- 2002 → Dhyan Chand Award (now Arjuna Lifetime).
- 2009 → Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
Trick 3: Cash Prizes — "25 for the Best, 15 for the Rest"
Link the prize money to the award level:
- Rs. 25 lakh → Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (the best).
- Rs. 15 lakh → Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award (the rest).
- No individual cash prize → MAKA Trophy (only a trophy and grant to the university).
Trick 4: Mahabharata Names — "Drona Coaches, Arjuna Plays"
Two awards are named after Mahabharata characters, which is a favourite exam trap:
- Arjuna (the archer-student) → Award for athletes.
- Dronacharya / Drona (the teacher) → Award for coaches.
"The Guru's award goes to coaches; the disciple's award goes to players."
Trick 5: Badminton Team Cups — "Thomas is Male, Uber is Female"
Distinguish the three badminton team trophies:
- Thomas Cup → Men's team.
- Uber Cup → Women's team.
- Sudirman Cup → Mixed team.
"T for Thomas = males with a T (Type guy); U for Uber = women."
Trick 6: Cricket Domestic Trophies — "RID-VD" (Ranji, Irani, Duleep, Vijay Hazare, Deodhar)
All these are Indian domestic cricket trophies, often confused with international ones:
- R → Ranji Trophy (first-class).
- I → Irani Trophy (Ranji champ vs Rest of India).
- D → Duleep Trophy (zonal).
- V → Vijay Hazare Trophy (one-day, states).
- D → Deodhar Trophy (limited-overs, zones).
Trick 7: "Named-After" Memory Hook
Many awards and trophies are named after famous figures — connect the name to the person:
- Khel Ratna → Major Dhyan Chand (hockey wizard).
- Ranji Trophy → Ranjitsinhji (cricketer).
- Duleep Trophy → Duleepsinhji (cricketer).
- Durand Cup → Sir Mortimer Durand.
- Tenzing Norgay Award → Tenzing Norgay (Everest climber).
- MAKA Trophy → Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Additional Notes
Frequently Confused Facts
- Khel Ratna vs Arjuna Award: Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour (Rs. 25 lakh); Arjuna is the second-highest (Rs. 15 lakh). Before 1991-92, Arjuna was the highest award.
- Old name vs new name of Khel Ratna: It was the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award until August 2021, when it was renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
- Dhyan Chand Award vs Khel Ratna: The Dhyan Chand Award (instituted 2002) was for lifetime achievement and was renamed Arjuna Award (Lifetime) in 2024; the Khel Ratna is the highest performance award. Both are linked to Dhyan Chand's name, which causes confusion.
- Arjuna vs Dronacharya: Arjuna Award is for athletes; Dronacharya Award is for coaches. Both are named after Mahabharata characters.
- MAKA Trophy is unique: It is the oldest National Sports Award (1956-57) and the only one that goes to a university rather than an individual, with no individual cash prize.
- Thomas Cup vs Uber Cup vs Sudirman Cup: All three are badminton — Thomas (men), Uber (women), Sudirman (mixed).
- Beighton Cup vs Durand Cup: Beighton Cup is hockey; Durand Cup is football. Both are among India's oldest tournaments.
- Corbillon Cup vs Swaythling Cup: Both are table tennis — Corbillon (women's team), Swaythling (men's team).
- Jules Rimet Trophy vs FIFA World Cup Trophy: The Jules Rimet Trophy was used from 1930 to 1970; the current FIFA World Cup Trophy was introduced in 1974.
Repeating PYQ Patterns
Certain facts are asked repeatedly in competitive exams. The highest sporting honour (Khel Ratna), its renaming in 2021, the year Arjuna (1961) and Dronacharya (1985) were instituted, the cash prizes (Rs. 25 lakh and Rs. 15 lakh), the first Khel Ratna winner (Viswanathan Anand), and trophy-sport matching (Ranji = cricket, Durand = football, Thomas = badminton, Davis = tennis, Webb Ellis = rugby) appear most often in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, and RRB NTPC papers. Banking exams (IBPS PO, SBI Clerk) frequently focus on the latest National Sports Awards winners and cups-and-trophies matching. State PCS exams may add questions on state athletes who won these awards. Current affairs portions test the most recent Khel Ratna and Arjuna recipients, so revise both the static list and the latest year's winners.
Quick Insight
Sports awards are a window into India's evolving sporting culture. The renaming of the Khel Ratna after Major Dhyan Chand in 2021 and the rationalisation of the lifetime award into the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) in 2024 reflect a conscious effort to honour Indian sporting heritage over political naming. The growing share of para-athletes and non-cricket disciplines among recent winners - shooting, chess, hockey, and para-athletics in 2024 - signals India's broader medal ambitions at the Olympics and Asian Games. Understanding both the static facts and the latest winners helps aspirants tackle Prelims matching questions and Mains discussion on sports policy, the Khelo India scheme, and the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). For further preparation, you can practise with the Static GK Quiz and revise the latest award news on the Daily Current Affairs page.
One-Liners for Quick Revision
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna → Highest sporting honour → instituted 1991-92, renamed in 2021, cash prize Rs. 25 lakh.
- Khel Ratna - old name → Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (until August 2021).
- First Khel Ratna winner → Viswanathan Anand (chess), 1991-92.
- Youngest Khel Ratna winner → Abhinav Bindra (shooting), 2001, aged 18.
- First woman Khel Ratna winner → Karnam Malleswari (weightlifting), 1994-95.
- Arjuna Award → Second-highest sporting honour → instituted 1961, cash prize Rs. 15 lakh.
- Dronacharya Award → Highest honour for coaches → instituted 1985, cash prize Rs. 15 lakh.
- First Dronacharya winners → Bhalchandra Bhagwat, Om Prakash Bhardwaj, O. M. Nambiar (1985).
- Arjuna Award (Lifetime) → Earlier Dhyan Chand Award → instituted 2002, renamed 2024.
- First Dhyan Chand Award winners → Shahuraj Birajdar, Ashok Diwan, Aparna Ghosh (2002).
- MAKA Trophy → Oldest National Sports Award → instituted 1956-57, given to the top university, no individual cash prize.
- Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar → Instituted 2009 → for organisations promoting sports.
- Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award → Highest adventure-sports award → since 2004 with National Sports Awards.
- National Sports Day → 29 August → birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand.
- Khel Ratna 2024 winners → Manu Bhaker (shooting), D. Gukesh (chess), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), Praveen Kumar (para-athletics).
- ICC Cricket World Cup → Cricket → India won 1983 and 2011.
- Ranji Trophy → Cricket (domestic) → named after Ranjitsinhji, first played 1934.
- Duleep Trophy → Cricket (zonal) → named after Duleepsinhji.
- Deodhar Trophy → Cricket (limited-overs, zones).
- Vijay Hazare Trophy → Cricket (one-day, states).
- Irani Trophy → Cricket → Ranji champion vs Rest of India.
- Border-Gavaskar Trophy → Cricket → India vs Australia Test series.
- The Ashes → Cricket → England vs Australia.
- FIFA World Cup → Football → started 1930; Jules Rimet Trophy (1930-70), current trophy from 1974.
- UEFA Champions League → Football (European clubs).
- Durand Cup → Football → started 1888, named after Sir Mortimer Durand.
- Santosh Trophy → Football (Indian states).
- BC Roy Trophy → Football → Indian under-19 competition.
- Beighton Cup → Hockey → one of India's oldest hockey tournaments (1895).
- Aga Khan Cup → Hockey.
- Murugappa Gold Cup → Hockey → held in Chennai.
- Thomas Cup → Badminton (men) → founded 1939, India won 2022.
- Uber Cup → Badminton (women).
- Sudirman Cup → Badminton (mixed team).
- Davis Cup → Tennis (men).
- Wimbledon Trophy → Tennis → oldest Grand Slam, London.
- Corbillon Cup → Table Tennis (women's team).
- Swaythling Cup → Table Tennis (men's team).
- Ryder Cup → Golf → Europe vs USA, since 1927.
- Stanley Cup → Ice Hockey → oldest professional sports trophy in North America.
- Webb Ellis Cup → Rugby World Cup.
- Derby Trophy → Horse Racing.
- Bharat Kesari → Wrestling.
For more Static GK topics like famous personalities, important days, and Indian dances, explore the Static GK section on thejobsme.com. You can also test yourself with the Daily Current Affairs Quiz and check the latest openings on the Latest Government Job Notifications page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the highest sporting honour in India?
Who was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna Award?
What is the cash prize for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award?
When was the Arjuna Award instituted and what is it for?
Which award is given to coaches in India?
What was the earlier name of the Arjuna Award (Lifetime)?
Which is the oldest National Sports Award in India?
Who won the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2024?
Which trophies are associated with badminton?
Why is National Sports Day celebrated on 29 August?
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