Punjab Police Constable – General Awareness & Current Affairs
Topic: Sports & Awards
1️⃣ Simple Explanation
Sports are organized physical competitions that test skill, strength, speed, coordination, and strategy.
Awards are recognitions given to athletes, coaches, and sports administrators for outstanding performance, contribution, or service to the game and the nation.
In India, the most prestigious national sports awards are:
| Award | Purpose | Highest Awardee (as of 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | Highest sporting honour | P. V. Sindhu (2024) |
| Arjuna Award | Excellence in sport | S. Sreesanth (2024) |
| Dronacharya Award | Outstanding coaching | B. S. Haripriya (2024) |
| Major Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime contribution | Mary Kom (2024) |
| Padma Awards (Shri/Arjuna) | Civilian honours for sports | Rohit Sharma – Padma Bhushan (2024) |
2️⃣ Key Points
A. Major International Sporting Events (Last 5 Years)
| Year | Event | Host City | India’s Medal Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Summer Olympics | Paris | 1 Gold (P. V. Sindhu – 400m Hurdles) |
| 2022 | Asian Games | Hangzhou | 29 Gold, 35 Silver, 32 Bronze |
| 2022 | FIFA World Cup | Qatar | — |
| 2023 | ICC Cricket World Cup | India | 2nd place (India) |
| 2023 | World Athletics Championships | Budapest | 1 Gold (Neeraj Chopra – Javelin) |
B. Major National Sporting Events (Recent)
| Event | Year | Host State | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Games | 2022 | Punjab | 63 Gold medals for Punjab |
| Khelo India Youth Games | 2023 | Odisha | 1,200 young athletes participated |
| Punjab State Games | 2023 | Punjab | 12 disciplines, 300 athletes |
C. National Sports Awards – 2024 Recipients
| Award | 2024 Recipient | Sport | Notable Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khel Ratna | P. V. Sindhu | Badminton | 2024 Olympics Gold |
| Arjuna Award | S. Sreesanth | Cricket | 2024 IPL Champion |
| Dronacharya Award | B. S. Haripriya | Weightlifting | 2 Olympic medals (2012, 2016) |
| Major Dhyan Chand Award | Mary Kom | Boxing | 2018 Commonwealth Games Gold |
| Padma Awards | Rohit Sharma – Padma Bhushan | Cricket | 2024 IPL 200+ runs in a season |
D. Notable Indian Athletes (2024)
- P. V. Sindhu – Badminton, 2024 Olympic Gold
- Neeraj Chopra – Javelin, 2024 World Champion
- Saina Nehwal – Badminton, 2024 Commonwealth Games Gold
- Rohit Sharma – Cricket, 2024 IPL record
- Mary Kom – Boxing, 2024 Olympic Bronze
E. Current Affairs – Sports (2024‑2026)
- 2024 Paris Olympics – India’s flag‑bearer: Sakshi Malik (Boxing).
- 2025 ICC Cricket World Cup – Hosted in Australia; India reached semi‑finals.
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