Title: Major Awards in India – Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Jnanpith, National Film Awards & More
Description: Detailed notes on major Indian awards and honours including Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards, Sahitya Akademi Awards, Jnanpith Award, National Film Awards, Handloom Awards, Gandhi Peace Prize and Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar.
Awards and honours are an important part of General Knowledge and Current Affairs for ADRE, APSC, UPSC, SSC and other competitive examinations. The following awards cover sports, literature, cinema, culture, handloom, peace and science.
> Exam Tip: Learn the establishing year, awarding organisation/ministry, purpose and field of each award.
1. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is India's highest sporting honour. It recognises a sportsperson's spectacular and outstanding performance over the preceding four years.
Key Facts
Field: Sports
Established: 1991–92
Named after: Major Dhyan Chand
Administered by: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Given to: Outstanding sportspersons
Selection: Based on sporting performance and other prescribed criteria
The award was originally known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and was renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021.
2024 Awardees
The 2024 Khel Ratna awardees included:
Gukesh D
Harmanpreet Singh
Manu Bhaker
Praveen Kumar
The awards were presented by the President of India in January 2025.
2. Arjuna Award
The Arjuna Award recognises outstanding performance by sportspersons.
It was instituted in 1961 and recognises achievements at the national and international level, along with qualities such as leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
Key Facts
Established: 1961
Field: Sports
Administered by: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Awarded to: Outstanding sportspersons
There is also an Arjuna Award (Lifetime) for sportspersons who have made significant contributions to sports and continue to contribute after retirement.
3. Dronacharya Award
The Dronacharya Award is given to outstanding coaches who contribute significantly to producing successful sportspersons.
It was instituted in 1985.
Key Facts
Established: 1985
Field: Sports coaching
Administered by: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Named after: Dronacharya, the legendary teacher of the Mahabharata
Recipients: Outstanding sports coaches
The award recognises coaches who have produced medal-winning athletes at prestigious international competitions.
4. Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are among India's important national honours for the performing arts.
They recognise outstanding contributions to:
Music
Dance
Theatre
Traditional and folk performing arts
Other recognised performing-art forms
The awards are associated with the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's national academy for music, dance and drama, under the Ministry of Culture.
Important Exam Point
Sangeet Natak Akademi → Music, Dance and Drama/Performing Arts
The Akademi also confers Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships, which are among its highest recognitions.
5. Sahitya Akademi Awards
The Sahitya Akademi Award is one of India's major literary honours.
It is given by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.
Fields
The award recognises outstanding literary works in India's recognised languages.
The award covers literature in 24 languages, including:
Assamese
Bengali
Bodo
Dogri
English
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Maithili
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Odia
Punjabi
Rajasthani
Sanskrit
Santali
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu
Exam Point
Sahitya Akademi → Literature
For Assam-related examinations, remember that Assamese is one of the languages in which the Sahitya Akademi Award is given.
6. Jnanpith Award
The Jnanpith Award is one of India's most prestigious literary awards.
It is given for outstanding contribution to Indian literature.
Key Facts
Field: Literature
Instituted: 1961
Awarded by: Bharatiya Jnanpith
Eligibility: Indian writers
Languages: Recognised Indian languages and English under the award's current framework
Important Difference
Jnanpith Award → Individual writer's outstanding contribution to Indian literature
Sahitya Akademi Award → Outstanding literary work in a particular year/category
This distinction is useful for competitive examinations.
7. National Film Awards
The National Film Awards are India's premier national-level awards for excellence in cinema.
They are administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Major Categories
The awards recognise achievements in:
Feature films
Non-feature films
Acting
Direction
Music
Cinematography
Screenplay
Other technical and artistic categories
Important Awards
Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest honour in Indian cinema and is presented as part of the National Film Awards framework.
Exam Point
National Film Awards → Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Dadasaheb Phalke Award → Highest honour in Indian cinema
8. National Handloom Awards
The National Handloom Awards recognise outstanding contributions to India's handloom sector.
They are associated with the Ministry of Textiles.
Areas Recognised
The awards can recognise achievements related to:
Handloom weaving
Design
Innovation
Product development
Marketing
Handloom entrepreneurship
Producer organisations
Importance
India's handloom sector represents the country's traditional textile heritage and provides livelihoods to a large number of artisans and weavers.
Exam Point:
National Handloom Awards → Ministry of Textiles
9. Sant Kabir Handloom Award
The Sant Kabir Handloom Award is a major national recognition for outstanding handloom weavers.
It is associated with the Ministry of Textiles.
The award recognises weavers who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship and make sustained contributions to the handloom tradition.
Award Components
The award includes recognition such as:
Gold coin
Tamrapatra
Shawl
Certificate
Exam Point
Sant Kabir Handloom Award → Outstanding handloom weavers
Ministry → Ministry of Textiles
10. Gandhi Peace Prize
The Gandhi Peace Prize is an important national award instituted by the Government of India.
It is named after Mahatma Gandhi and recognises individuals or organisations that have made outstanding contributions towards:
Non-violence
Social transformation
Economic and political change
Human welfare
Peace
Development
Key Facts
Instituted: 1995
Named after: Mahatma Gandhi
Nature: National award
Purpose: Recognise contributions to peace and social development
Exam Point
The Gandhi Peace Prize is particularly associated with Gandhian ideals, non-violence and social transformation.
11. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar
The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) is a major national award recognising contributions to science, technology and innovation.
It was introduced by the Government of India as a national science award framework.
Main Categories
The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar has four major award categories:
1. Vigyan Ratna
2. Vigyan Shri
3. Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar
4. Vigyan Team
What Do They Recognise?
The awards recognise contributions to:
Scientific research
Technological innovation
Scientific discoveries
Science and technology leadership
Young scientists
Team-based scientific achievements
Important Exam Point
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar → Science, Technology and Innovation
📚 Quick Comparison Table
Award Field Important Organisation
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Sports Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Arjuna Award Sports Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Dronacharya Award Sports Coaching Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Music, Dance, Drama Sangeet Natak Akademi / Ministry of Culture
Sahitya Akademi Award Literature Sahitya Akademi
Jnanpith Award Literature Bharatiya Jnanpith
National Film Awards Cinema Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
National Handloom Awards Handloom Ministry of Textiles
Sant Kabir Handloom Award Handloom Weaving Ministry of Textiles
Gandhi Peace Prize Peace & Social Service Government of India
Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar Science & Technology Government of India
⭐ Most Important One-Liners
1. India's highest sporting honour? — Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
2. Arjuna Award was instituted in? — 1961.
3. Dronacharya Award was instituted in? — 1985.
4. Dronacharya Award is given to? — Sports coaches.
5. Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards are related to? — Performing arts.
6. Sahitya Akademi Award is related to? — Literature.
7. Jnanpith Award is related to? — Literature.
8. National Film Awards are related to? — Cinema.
9. Dadasaheb Phalke Award is associated with? — Indian cinema.
10. National Handloom Awards are associated with? — Handloom sector.
11. Sant Kabir Handloom Award is given to? — Outstanding handloom weavers.
12. Gandhi Peace Prize is associated with? — Peace, non-violence and social transformation.
13. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is related to? — Science and technology.
14. Vigyan Ratna is a category under? — Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar.
15. Khel Ratna was renamed after whom? — Major Dhyan Chand.
Government Resources
Sources: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports; Press Information Bureau, Government of India; Ministry of Culture; Ministry of Information & Broadcasting; Ministry of Textiles; Department of Science & Technology; Government of India Awardpedia.
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