National Sports Events of India
Delhi Police Exams - GK Section
Introduction
India’s sports ecosystem is filled with historic tournaments, modern leagues, and national awards that inspire athletes and unite the nation. From traditional games like Kabaddi to professional leagues like ISL and PKL, India celebrates sports at every level.
Memory Trick: N–K–T–L–A → National Games, Khelo India, Trophies, Leagues, Awards.
National Games of India
| Organized By | Indian Olympic Association (IOA) |
| First Held | 1924 (Lahore) – Indian Olympic Games |
| Renamed As | National Games (1940s) |
| Frequency | Every 2–4 years |
| Modeled On | Olympic Games |
| Latest Edition (37th) | 2023 – Goa |
| Next Host (38th) | Uttarakhand (2025) |
Motto: Unity Through Sports
Sports Included: Athletics, Hockey, Boxing, Wrestling, Shooting, Swimming, etc.
Medal Toppers (2023):
1st – Services | 2nd – Maharashtra | 3rd – Haryana
National Games: India’s Own Olympics.
Khelo India Youth Games
| Launched By | Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports |
| Year | 2018 |
| Objective | Identify & nurture young sporting talent |
| Organized By | Sports Authority of India (SAI) |
| Motto | Kheloge Kudoge Banoge Lajawaab |
| Categories | Under-17 and Under-21 |
| Recent Host | 2024 – Tamil Nadu |
Major Aim: Scholarships & training via the Khelo India Talent Development Programme
Trick: Khelo India = Catch them young, train them strong.
Major National Trophies in Sports
Cricket
| Trophy | Details |
|---|---|
| Ranji Trophy | Premier first-class domestic tournament; est. 1934 |
| Duleep Trophy | Zonal competition; named after K.S. Duleepsinhji |
| Irani Trophy | Ranji winners vs Rest of India team |
| Vijay Hazare Trophy | One-day national tournament |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | Domestic T20 tournament |
Trick: Ranji roots cricket; Duleep divides zones.
Football
| Trophy | Details |
|---|---|
| Santosh Trophy | Inter-state football championship since 1941 |
| Durand Cup | Oldest football tournament (since 1888) |
| Federation Cup | Knockout club tournament (merged with ISL) |
| Subroto Cup | Inter-school tournament; named after Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee |
| ISL | Indian Super League; top professional league (since 2014) |
Memory Trick: SDFS → Santosh, Durand, Federation, Subroto.
Hockey
| Tournament | Details |
|---|---|
| Hockey India League (HIL) | Professional hockey league; started 2013 |
| Beighton Cup | World’s oldest (1895, Kolkata) |
| Obaidullah Gold Cup | National-level, Bhopal |
Trick: Hockey India = Heritage in Motion.
Kabaddi
| Tournament | Details |
|---|---|
| Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) | Franchise league started in 2014 |
| Winner (2023–24) | Jaipur Pink Panthers |
| Format | 12 teams (Indian cities) |
Trick: PKL = Power, Passion, Punjab-to-Pune League.
Important Leagues of India
| League | Sport | Started |
|---|---|---|
| IPL | Cricket | 2008 |
| ISL | Football | 2014 |
| PKL | Kabaddi | 2014 |
| HIL | Hockey | 2013 |
| PVL | Volleyball | 2019 |
| PBL | Badminton | 2016 |
Trick: IIPPHP → IPL, ISL, PKL, HIL, PBL.
India’s Major Sports Awards
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (Now: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna)
| Introduced | 1991–92 |
| Renamed | 2021 (in honour of Dhyan Chand) |
| Given For | Highest sporting honour for outstanding international performance |
| Award Includes | Medallion, Certificate, ₹25 lakh cash |
| Recent Winners | Neeraj Chopra, Mirabai Chanu |
Khel Ratna = Crown of Indian Sports.
Arjuna Award
| Introduced | 1961 |
| Given For | Outstanding performance over 4 years |
| Award Includes | Bronze statuette, Certificate, ₹15 lakh |
| Recent Winners | Harmanpreet Kaur, Lakshya Sen, Rani Rampal |
Arjuna = Aim True, Honour True.
Dronacharya Award
| Introduced | 1985 |
| Given To | Coaches producing medalists |
| Award Includes | Statuette, Certificate, ₹15 lakh |
| Recent Winners | Radhakrishnan Nair, Jaspal Rana |
Dronacharya trains Arjuna to win Khel Ratna.
Dhyan Chand Award
| Introduced | 2002 |
| Given For | Lifetime contribution to sports |
| Recent Winners | Trupti Murgunde, Harbinder Singh |
Dhyan Chand = Devotion for Life in Sports.
National Sports Day
| Date | 29th August |
| Significance | Birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand |
| Purpose | Promotion & honouring of sports |
| Awards Ceremony | Presented by President of India |
Memory Tip: 29 August – Stick of Gold Day.
PYQs (Delhi Police, SSC & State Exams)
The National Games of India were first held in —
A) 1947 B) 1924 C) 1951 D) 1934
Show Answer
B) 1924 (Lahore)
The motto of the Khelo India programme is —
A) Play for India B) Kheloge Kudoge Banoge Lajawaab C) Let’s Play India D) Youth for Sports
Show Answer
B) Kheloge Kudoge Banoge Lajawaab
Santosh Trophy is related to which sport?
A) Hockey B) Football C) Cricket D) Volleyball
Show Answer
B) Football
Ranji Trophy is associated with —
A) Tennis B) Badminton C) Cricket D) Football
Show Answer
C) Cricket
Subroto Cup is related to —
A) School Football B) Athletics C) Kabaddi D) Hockey
Show Answer
A) School Football
Durand Cup is associated with which sport?
A) Football B) Hockey C) Tennis D) Wrestling
Show Answer
A) Football
The Pro Kabaddi League was started in —
A) 2012 B) 2014 C) 2016 D) 2018
Show Answer
B) 2014
The highest sporting honour in India is —
A) Arjuna Award B) Dronacharya Award C) Khel Ratna Award D) Dhyan Chand Award
Show Answer
C) Khel Ratna Award
National Sports Day is celebrated on —
A) 26 January B) 15 August C) 29 August D) 2 October
Show Answer
C) 29 August
Dronacharya Award is given to —
A) Athletes B) Coaches C) Organizers D) Referees
Show Answer
B) Coaches
Summary Table – Key Sports Events & Awards
| Category | Name | Sport / Area |
|---|---|---|
| National Event | National Games | Multi-sport |
| Youth Programme | Khelo India | Talent Development |
| Cricket | Ranji, Duleep, Irani | Domestic Championships |
| Football | Santosh, Durand, Federation, Subroto | National Trophies |
| Leagues | IPL, ISL, PKL | Franchise Tournaments |
| Top Awards | Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya, Dhyan Chand | National Honours |
Final Concept Recap
- National Games → India’s “Mini Olympics”
- Khelo India → Youth sports promotion
- Santosh / Durand / Subroto → Football
- Ranji / Duleep / Irani → Cricket
- PKL / ISL → Professional leagues
- Khel Ratna & Arjuna Awards → Highest player honours
- National Sports Day → 29 August (Dhyan Chand’s birthday)
One-Line Memory: From National Games to Khel Ratna – India plays, trains, and celebrates champions.
Master National Sports GK for Exams!
Access GK tables and test series at Courage Library for more success.
Be a Couragian!