Sports Awards, Trophies and Cups Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.National Sports Awards of India
- 2.Domestic Cricket Trophies
- 3.Trophies of Other Indian Sports
- 4.Important International Cups
- 5.Four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments
- 6.Olympic Games: Basic Facts
- 7.Quick Tips
- 8.Quick Revision Points
- 9.Practice Questions With Answers
- 10.How to Practise This Chapter
- 11.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: Sports Awards, Trophies and Cups Notes for SSC Exams
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Sports is a favourite topic of SSC General Awareness, and the questions ask for the sports awards of India, the trophies of different games and the cups of the international events. These sports awards, trophies and cups notes for SSC give all of them in simple tables with practice questions. The names of the latest winners change every year, so read them separately from the monthly current affairs.
National Sports Awards of India
| Award | For | Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award | Highest sporting honour for outstanding performance | Earlier called the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna; renamed in 2021; first winner Viswanathan Anand (1991-92) |
| Arjuna Award | Outstanding performance in sports | Started in 1961 |
| Dronacharya Award | Coaches | Started in 1985 |
| Dhyan Chand Award | Lifetime achievement in sports | Started in 2002 |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | Encouragement of sports by companies and institutions | |
| Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy | Best overall performing university |
Domestic Cricket Trophies
| Trophy | Format or purpose |
|---|---|
| Ranji Trophy | Main first-class (multi-day) tournament |
| Duleep Trophy | First-class tournament between zones |
| Irani Cup | Ranji champions versus the Rest of India |
| Vijay Hazare Trophy | One-day domestic tournament |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy | T20 domestic tournament |
Trophies of Other Indian Sports
| Trophy | Sport |
|---|---|
| Santosh Trophy | Football (national championship) |
| Durand Cup | Football (one of the oldest football tournaments in the world and the oldest in Asia) |
| Subroto Cup | School football |
| Beighton Cup | Hockey |
| Aga Khan Cup | Hockey |
| Federation Cup | Many sports, including football |
Important International Cups
| Cup or trophy | Sport |
|---|---|
| Thomas Cup | Men's team badminton |
| Uber Cup | Women's team badminton |
| Sudirman Cup | Mixed team badminton |
| Davis Cup | Men's team tennis |
| Billie Jean King Cup (earlier Fed Cup) | Women's team tennis |
| Ryder Cup | Golf (Europe versus United States) |
| Walker Cup | Amateur golf |
| Ashes | Cricket Test series between England and Australia |
| Border-Gavaskar Trophy | Cricket Test series between India and Australia |
| Jules Rimet Trophy / FIFA World Cup Trophy | Football |
Four Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments
| Tournament | Place | Surface |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | Melbourne, Australia | Hard court |
| French Open (Roland Garros) | Paris, France | Clay court |
| Wimbledon | London, England | Grass court |
| US Open | New York, USA | Hard court |
Olympic Games: Basic Facts
- The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens (Greece) in 1896.
- The Olympic motto is "Citius, Altius, Fortius", which means faster, higher, stronger.
- The Olympic flag has five rings: blue, yellow, black, green and red, for the five continents.
- The Games are held every four years, and the 2024 Games were held in Paris.
Quick Tips
- Learn each trophy with its sport in one table.
- Remember the Khel Ratna was renamed after Major Dhyan Chand in 2021.
- Learn the surfaces of the four Grand Slams.
- Read the latest winners of the major awards and tournaments from current affairs.
Quick Revision Points
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna is the highest sports award of India.
- Arjuna Award started in 1961 and Dronacharya Award in 1985.
- Ranji Trophy is for cricket and Santosh Trophy is for football.
- Thomas Cup is for men's team badminton.
- The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which is the highest sporting honour of India?
Answer: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award - Who was the first winner of the Khel Ratna?
Answer: Viswanathan Anand - Which award is given to coaches?
Answer: Dronacharya Award - Ranji Trophy is related to which sport?
Answer: Cricket - Santosh Trophy is related to which sport?
Answer: Football - Thomas Cup is related to which sport?
Answer: Badminton - Davis Cup is related to which sport?
Answer: Tennis - Which Grand Slam is played on grass?
Answer: Wimbledon - Which Grand Slam is played on clay?
Answer: French Open - Where were the first modern Olympic Games held?
Answer: Athens (1896)
How to Practise This Chapter
Make a table of the awards, the trophies and the sports, and revise it twice a week. Then solve questions from our practice papers, the free SSC quizzes and the previous year papers page. Read the previous chapter, Important National and International Awards, and see all topics on the Current Affairs notes page. Also read the General Awareness notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest sports award of India?
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is the highest sporting honour of India.
Why was the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna renamed?
It was renamed as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021 to honour the hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
Which award is given to sports coaches?
The Dronacharya Award is given to coaches. It started in 1985.
What is the Arjuna Award?
The Arjuna Award is given for outstanding performance in sports. It started in 1961.
What is the Ranji Trophy?
The Ranji Trophy is the main first-class cricket tournament of India.
What is the Santosh Trophy?
The Santosh Trophy is the national football championship of India for states and teams.
What is the Durand Cup?
The Durand Cup is a football tournament started in 1888, and it is the oldest in Asia.
What are the four Grand Slam tournaments?
They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
Which is the Thomas Cup?
The Thomas Cup is the world team championship trophy for men's badminton.
What is the Olympic motto?
The Olympic motto is Citius, Altius, Fortius, which means faster, higher, stronger.
How can I remember sports trophies easily?
Learn each trophy with its sport in a table and revise it every week with a quiz.
How many questions come from sports in SSC exams?
Usually one or two questions come from sports in SSC General Awareness papers, but the number changes from year to year.
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Important National and International Awards Notes for SSC Exams
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Sports Current Affairs 2025-26 Notes for SSC Exams: Winners List
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.