When was the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award?

Correct — A. The Government of India renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna on 6 August 2021, option (a).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the change during the Tokyo Olympics, soon after India's men's hockey team won bronze — its first Olympic hockey medal since 1980.

Dhyan Chand won Olympic hockey gold with India in 1928, 1932 and 1936.

Why the others are wrong

• (b)
  6th August 2022 — 6 August 2022 has the right day and month but the wrong year. The renaming was announced in 2021, while the Tokyo Olympics were on.
• (c)
  5th January 2022 — 5 January 2022 comes about five months after the renaming, by which time the award already carried Dhyan Chand's name.
• (d)
  5th January 2021 — 5 January 2021 falls before the Tokyo Olympics, when the award was still the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. The renaming came seven months later.

The Khel Ratna is India's highest sporting honour. It was instituted in 1991–92, and its first recipient was chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand.

Until 2021 it carried Rajiv Gandhi's name. On 6 August 2021 it was renamed after Major Dhyan Chand, India's hockey great.

Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905, and that date is observed every year as National Sports Day.

Key facts

• The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna was renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna on 6 August 2021.
• The award was instituted in 1991–92, and Viswanathan Anand was its first recipient.
• Dhyan Chand won Olympic hockey gold with India in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
• Dhyan Chand's birthday, 29 August, is observed as National Sports Day.

Common traps

• Pairing the right day and month with the wrong year — the Tokyo Olympics ran in 2021.

No directly related past PYQ was found.