National Sports Awards — Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award
Under the "Sports Events and Achievements" tag in Patwari's GK-India section, the establishment, renaming, and rules of India's two biggest sporting honours — the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and the Arjuna Award — are given here.
- GK-India · Sports
- 5 min read
The Two Highest Sporting Honours
The Arjuna Award is India's oldest sporting honour, started in 1961 — it is given to a sportsperson for consistently outstanding performance over four years. Above it was the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, which was started in 1991-92.
On 6 August 2021, the Government of India renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award as the "Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna" — named to honour the hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand (who scored more than 1,000 goals over his 20-year career).
Two Major Sports Awards
| Award | Instituted | Prize Money | Key Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | 1991-92 (renamed: 6 August 2021) | ₹25 lakh | Best performance over the last 4 years at Olympic/Asian/Commonwealth Games level |
| Arjuna Award | 1961 | ₹15 lakh (from 2020) | Consistently good international-level performance, leadership, and discipline over the last 4 years |
The Khel Ratna is usually given to only one player in a year, though in some years it has been given to more than one.
Remember the Reason for the Name Change
The renaming from "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna" to "Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna" happened on 6 August 2021, and Major Dhyan Chand's birthday (29 August) is the very date on which National Sports Day is also observed in India — note that the date of the renaming (6 August) and the date of National Sports Day (29 August) are different.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Khel Ratna award renamed?+
On 6 August 2021, it was changed from "Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna" to "Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna".
When was the Arjuna Award started?+
In 1961 — it is India's oldest sporting honour.
On what date is National Sports Day observed?+
On 29 August, to mark Major Dhyan Chand's birthday.