Major Dhyan Chand — Set 1

Correct Answer: A. India

• **India** = The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honor in the country. • **four years** — The award recognizes outstanding performance by a sportsperson over this period. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Pakistan]: This country has its own national awards, but not the Khel Ratna; [United Kingdom]: This country has its own sporting honors, like BBC Sports Personality of the Year, but not Khel Ratna; [Australia]: This country has various sports awards, such as the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, but not Khel Ratna.

Correct Answer: A. Rajiv Gandhi

• **Rajiv Gandhi** = The Khel Ratna award was originally named after this former Prime Minister. • **2021** — The award was renamed in this year to honor Major Dhyan Chand. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Indira Gandhi]: While a prominent Prime Minister, the award was not named after her; [Jawaharlal Nehru]: India's first Prime Minister, but the Khel Ratna was not named in his honor; [Lal Bahadur Shastri]: Another former Prime Minister, but the Khel Ratna did not bear his name.

Correct Answer: C. Viswanathan Anand

• **Viswanathan Anand** = He was the first recipient of the Khel Ratna award for his exceptional achievements in Chess. • **1991-92** — This period marks the inaugural year when Viswanathan Anand received the Khel Ratna. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Sachin Tendulkar]: He received the award later in 1997-98 for cricket; [Geet Sethi]: He received the award in 1992-93 for billiards; [Karnam Malleswari]: She was the first woman to receive the award in 1994-95 for weightlifting.

Correct Answer: C. The President of India

• **The President of India** = This high-ranking official typically presents the Khel Ratna award. • **Rashtrapati Bhavan** — The formal award ceremony is held at this official residence. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [The Prime Minister]: While a significant figure, the President is the one who confers these national honors; [The Vice President]: The Vice President does not typically present this specific award; [The Sports Minister]: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports administers the award, but the President presents it.

Correct Answer: D. August 29

• **August 29** = This date marks Major Dhyan Chand's birth anniversary and is when the Khel Ratna award ceremony is usually held. • **National Sports Day** — August 29 is celebrated as this day in India to honor Major Dhyan Chand. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [August 15]: This is India's Independence Day; [October 2]: This is Gandhi Jayanti, Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary; [January 26]: This is India's Republic Day.

Correct Answer: A. Karnam Malleswari

• **Karnam Malleswari** = She was the first woman to receive the Khel Ratna award for her achievements in Weightlifting. • **1994-95** — She received the Khel Ratna in this period, and later became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in **2000**. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [P.T. Usha]: A legendary athlete, but not the first woman Khel Ratna recipient; [Saina Nehwal]: A prominent badminton player, she received the award much later; [Mary Kom]: An iconic boxer, she also received the award later than Malleswari.

Correct Answer: C. Sachin Tendulkar

• **Sachin Tendulkar** = This cricket legend was the first from his sport to win the Khel Ratna award. • **1997-98** — Sachin Tendulkar received the Khel Ratna during this period for his contributions to cricket. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Kapil Dev]: A legendary all-rounder, but not the first cricketer to receive the Khel Ratna; [Sunil Gavaskar]: A batting icon, but he was not the first Khel Ratna recipient from cricket; [Rahul Dravid]: A prominent batsman, he received the award later in 2004.

Correct Answer: D. 25 Lakhs

• **25 Lakhs** = This is the revised cash prize amount awarded to a Khel Ratna recipient. • **25 lakh rupees** — The prize money for the Khel Ratna was increased to this amount to better support athletes. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [10 Lakhs]: This was a previous amount, but it has been revised; [15 Lakhs]: This is not the current revised prize money for the Khel Ratna; [20 Lakhs]: This is also not the currently awarded prize money for the Khel Ratna.

Correct Answer: C. Billiards and Snooker

• **Billiards and Snooker** = Geet Sethi won the Khel Ratna award for his excellence in this sporting discipline. • **1992-93** — Geet Sethi received the Khel Ratna in this period, becoming the second overall recipient. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Tennis]: Geet Sethi is not known for achievements in Tennis; [Shooting]: Geet Sethi's sport is not Shooting; [Badminton]: This is a different racket sport and not Geet Sethi's discipline.

Correct Answer: D. Abhinav Bindra

• **Abhinav Bindra** = He is the first Indian shooter to be honored with the Khel Ratna award. • **2001-02** — Abhinav Bindra received the Khel Ratna in this period, and he later won India's first individual Olympic gold medal at the **2008** Beijing Olympics. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Jaspal Rana]: A renowned pistol shooter, but not the first Khel Ratna recipient in shooting; [Anjali Bhagwat]: A prominent rifle shooter, but Bindra received the Khel Ratna before her in the sport; [Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore]: An Olympic medalist in shooting, he received the award later than Bindra.