MCQs - 2026-08

National Sports Day is often associated with the announcement and distribution of prestigious sports awards like the Arjuna Award, Khel Ratna Award, etc., recognizing outstanding achievements in sports.

National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29th every year in India to honor the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, born on this day in 1905.

A high-level selection committee, constituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is responsible for scrutinizing nominations and recommending awardees for the National Sports Awards, including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting honour, carries a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award was originally known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award before being renamed in August 2021.

As per the current structure, the Arjuna Award carries a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.

The Padma Bhushan is a civilian honour, not a sports-specific award under the National Sports Awards scheme. The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna, and Dronacharya Awards are key components.

The National Sports Awards are traditionally announced in August each year, with the awards presented on National Sports Day, August 29th.

While all listed species are important and endangered, the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is found only in India (Gir Forest) and is considered critically endangered, making it a high priority for focused monitoring. The Bengal Tiger and Snow Leopard also have dedicated monitoring programs, but the Asiatic Lion's unique and restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable.

The primary objective of a monitoring program for endangered species is conservation, not commercial exploitation. Identifying new species for commercial exploitation would contradict the goals of protecting endangered populations.