Sports Awareness
Delhi Police Exams - GK Section
Introduction to Sports Awareness
- Sports are a symbol of national pride, health, and unity. For competitive exams, knowing prominent sports events and Indian achievements is crucial.
- Builds discipline, teamwork, physical fitness, leadership, and national integration.
- Helps in gaining employment and recognition, especially through government sports quotas and organizations like SAI.
- Major questions asked in competitive exams include national games, international events, famous awards, and achievements.
Memory Trick: P–F–E–U–S → Pride, Fitness, Employment, Unity, Soft Power.
National Sports of Countries
| Country | National Sport |
|---|---|
| India | Hockey |
| Australia | Cricket |
| Brazil | Football |
| USA | Baseball |
| China | Table Tennis |
| Japan | Sumo Wrestling |
| Sri Lanka | Volleyball |
| New Zealand | Rugby Union |
For India, Hockey is the National Sport.
Major International Sports Events
| Event | Organized By | Frequency | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | IOC | Every 4 yrs | Largest global multi-sport event |
| Asian Games | OCA | Every 4 yrs | For Asian nations |
| Commonwealth Games | Commonwealth | Every 4 yrs | For Commonwealth members |
| FIFA World Cup | FIFA | Every 4 yrs | Biggest football event |
| Cricket World Cup | ICC | Every 4 yrs | India won in 1983 & 2011 |
| World Athletics Championships | World Athletics | Every 2 yrs | Track & field events |
| Davis Cup | ITF | Annual | Men's tennis team event |
| Thomas & Uber Cup | BWF | Biennial | Badminton world team event |
For quick revision, remember the event-organizer pairs; most exams cover at least five global sports events.
National Sports Events (India)
| Competition | Sport | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ranji Trophy | Cricket | Premier domestic tournament |
| Santosh Trophy | Football | National championship |
| Hockey India League | Hockey | Franchise based |
| Pro Kabaddi League | Kabaddi | Popular televised league |
| National Games of India | Multi-sport | Flagship multi-sport event |
| Durand Cup | Football | Oldest in Asia |
| Inter-State Athletics | Athletics | Organized by Athletics Federation |
Trick: R–S–H–P–N–D for major tournaments.
Sports Organizations & Governing Bodies
| Institution | Function |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports | Policy & Funding |
| Sports Authority of India (SAI) | Implementation, Training, Infra |
| Indian Olympic Association (IOA) | Olympic representation |
| National Sports Federations (NSFs) | Sport-specific bodies |
Memory Trick: M–S–I–N → Ministry, SAI, IOA, NSF.
Sports Terminologies
- Ace – Tennis, Badminton (a point-winning serve)
- Goal – Football, Hockey (score by sending ball into net)
- Wicket – Cricket (dismissal or set of stumps)
- Sprint – Athletics (short distance running)
- Punch – Boxing (offensive strike)
- Birdie/Eagle – Golf (types of scores)
- Kumite – Karate (sparring)
Terminologies help quickly identify sports in MCQs.
Sports Personalities (Static GK)
| Name | Sport | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| Milkha Singh | Athletics | “Flying Sikh”, Asian Games Gold |
| P.T. Usha | Athletics | Asia’s Sprint Queen |
| Sachin Tendulkar | Cricket | 100 international centuries |
| Mary Kom | Boxing | 6-time World Champion |
| Neeraj Chopra | Athletics | Olympic Gold (Javelin, 2020) |
| Abhinav Bindra | Shooting | Olympic Gold, Beijing 2008 |
| P.V. Sindhu | Badminton | Olympic Silver & Bronze |
Remember top performer names: used frequently in exam questions.
Indian Achievements in Sports
- Neeraj Chopra – Olympic Gold (Javelin, 2020)
- Abhinav Bindra – Olympic Gold (Shooting, 2008)
- P.V. Sindhu – Olympic Silver (2016), Bronze (2020), Badminton
- Eight Olympic golds by Indian Hockey team (1928–1980)
- Mirabai Chanu – World Weightlifting champion, Olympic Silver (Tokyo 2020)
- Indian Cricket Team – ODI World Cup wins (1983, 2011), T20 World Cup (2007)
- 2023 Asian Games (Hangzhou, China) – India won 107 medals (28 Gold)
Each achievement adds to national pride and is relevant for current affairs in exams.
Recent Sports Updates (Last 3 Years)
- 2023 Asian Games: India secured a record 107 medals (28 Gold, 38 Silver, 41 Bronze).
- Neeraj Chopra continues success with World Athletics Gold (2023).
- 2023 ICC ODI Cricket World Cup: India hosted; Australia won.
- P.V. Sindhu won medals in global championships.
- India won Thomas Cup Badminton (Men’s Team) for first time in 2022.
- Mirabai Chanu won medals at World Championships and Commonwealth Games.
- Shooters Amanpreet Singh, Manu Bhaker – major medal winners globally.
- Several IPL, Pro Kabaddi, Hockey India League seasons successfully organized.
Keep updated with the latest annual achievements; GK exams increasingly ask recent data.
Sports Awards & Honors
| Award | Given For |
|---|---|
| Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna) | Outstanding individual performance |
| Arjuna Award | Consistent excellence in sports |
| Dronacharya Award | Lifetime achievement in coaching |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime contribution to sports |
| Padma Awards | National civil honors, including for sports |
Top awards are frequently asked in static GK and interview rounds.
Traditional Indian Games
- Kabaddi – Indigenous team sport; India most successful globally.
- Kushti (Wrestling) – Akhara style, spread to Olympics.
- Khokho – Tag sport, played throughout rural India.
- Pittu (Seven Stones) – Played mostly in North India.
- Gilli Danda – Bat and stick game; origin of modern bat games.
- Lagori – Similar to Pittu; team-based stone striking game.
- Boat Racing – Kerala; especially Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
- Mallakhamb – Gymnastic pole exercise, Maharashtra origin.
Traditional games show cultural heritage and are increasingly covered in competitive exams.
PYQs (Delhi Police, SSC & State Exams)
Which of the following is the national game of India?
A) Cricket B) Hockey C) Football D) Kabaddi
Show Answer
B) Hockey
When were the first Asian Games held?
A) 1948 B) 1951 C) 1956 D) 1962
Show Answer
B) 1951 (New Delhi)
“Olympic Games” are held after every —
A) 2 years B) 3 years C) 4 years D) 5 years
Show Answer
C) 4 years
Abhinav Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in —
A) Athens 2004 B) Beijing 2008 C) London 2012 D) Tokyo 2020
Show Answer
B) Beijing 2008
Who is known as the “Flying Sikh” of India?
A) Milkha Singh B) P.T. Usha C) Neeraj Chopra D) Sushil Kumar
Show Answer
A) Milkha Singh
Which sport is associated with the “Ranji Trophy”?
A) Football B) Hockey C) Cricket D) Tennis
Show Answer
C) Cricket
The term “Ace” is used in —
A) Badminton B) Lawn Tennis C) Shooting D) Archery
Show Answer
B) Lawn Tennis
The Commonwealth Games 2010 were hosted by —
A) Australia B) India C) England D) Canada
Show Answer
B) India
Neeraj Chopra is associated with which sport?
A) Shooting B) Javelin Throw C) Boxing D) Wrestling
Show Answer
B) Javelin Throw
Pro Kabaddi League was launched in which year?
A) 2012 B) 2014 C) 2016 D) 2018
Show Answer
B) 2014
Final Concept Recap
- Sports = Physical + Mental Growth
- Indoor vs Outdoor: Chess, Table Tennis, Badminton, Carrom, Wrestling vs Cricket, Hockey, Football, Athletics, Kabaddi, Tennis, Archery, Shooting
- Olympic (World), Asian (Continent), Commonwealth (Colonies) – event types and periodicity
- India’s Top Athletes: Neeraj Chopra, P.V. Sindhu, Mary Kom, Mirabai Chanu
- Key Bodies: SAI, IOA, Sports Ministry
- National Games = India’s own Olympics
One-Line Memory: Sports build strength, spirit, and the soul of the nation.
Master Sports Awareness for Delhi Police Exam!
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