Sports Quiz

Notes:
Indian hockey player Gurbax Singh Grewal, an Olympic bronze medallist, passed away at the age of 84 in Zirakpur near Chandigarh. He was part of India’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. He had the rare distinction of representing India alongside his brother Balbir Singh Grewal at the same Olympics. After his playing career, he served as a senior sports officer with Western Railways. He contributed to talent identification and promotion of hockey players, especially from Rajasthan.

Notes:
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attended the 75th anniversary of the National Rifle Association of India. He launched a nationwide grassroots programme to introduce 7.5 lakh school and college students to shooting. The programme is based on a “10-shot experience” to promote early exposure to the sport. It aims to prepare young talent for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The initiative will be implemented with institutions like Central Board of Secondary Education and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. A digital platform called NRAI Athlete App was launched for athlete registration, certification, and performance tracking.

Notes:
Oscar Schmidt, one of basketball’s greatest scorers, has passed away at the age of 68 after battling a brain tumor. He had a remarkable 30-year professional career across Brazil and Europe, retiring in 2003 at the age of 45. Schmidt represented Brazil in five Olympic Games and four World Cups, setting all-time scoring records in both tournaments. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, recognising his extraordinary contribution to the sport. The record was surpassed in 2024 by LeBron James, marking a new milestone in basketball history.

Notes:
Viktor Axelsen announced his retirement from professional badminton on 15 April 2026 due to recurring back injuries. He is a two-time Olympic gold medallist (2020, 2024) and among the greatest players in badminton history. Axelsen became only the second player after Lin Dan to successfully defend an Olympic title. His career highlights include World Championship titles (2017, 2022) and All England titles (2020, 2022).

Notes:
C. D. Gopinath, former India Test cricketer and part of India’s first-ever Test victory, passed away in Chennai at the age of 96. He was the last surviving member of the team that achieved India’s historic first Test win in 1952. Gopinath made his Test debut against England cricket team in 1951 at Brabourne Stadium and played his last match in 1960 at Eden Gardens. In 8 Tests, he scored 242 runs, while in First-Class cricket he amassed 4259 runs with 9 centuries. He was India’s oldest Test cricketer; globally second oldest after Neil Harvey. After his demise, Chandrakant Patankar becomes India’s oldest living Test cricketer.

Notes:
Uttarakhand hosted the 25th edition of the All India Police Water Sports Cluster Championship 2026 at Tehri Lake from 8 to 12 April 2026. The event is organised under the aegis of the Indo Tibetan Border Police. More than 440 athletes from 19 police teams, including state police and central armed forces, are participating. A total of 52 events such as canoeing, rowing, and kayaking will be conducted. The championship provides a platform for police personnel to showcase sporting talent and enhance inter-force camaraderie.

Notes:
The correct answer is [B] Only two. In India, national sports awards are conferred annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize excellence in various fields of athletics and coaching.

• Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (Pair 1 – Correct): This is the highest sporting honor in India. It is awarded for the most spectacular and outstanding performance by a sportsperson over a period of the previous four years.
• Arjuna Award (Pair 2 – Incorrect): The Arjuna Award is given for “good performance over a period of the previous four years” combined with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline. The “Lifetime Achievement” award is actually the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games.
• Dronacharya Award (Pair 3 – Correct): Established in 1985, this award is presented to coaches who have shown outstanding merit in training sportspersons or teams and enabling them to achieve excellence in international events.
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar (Pair 4 – Incorrect): This award is given to corporate entities (both private and public sector), Sports Control Boards, and NGOs that have played a visible role in the promotion and development of sports. It is not specifically for retired sportspersons.

Notes:
The correct answer is [C] 1 and 3 only. The Laureus World Sports Awards are often referred to as the “Oscars of Sports,” recognizing individuals and teams for their achievements throughout the year.

• Statement 1 (Correct): American golfer Tiger Woods was indeed the first winner of the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award in 2000. He also won it again the following year in 2001.
• Statement 2 (Incorrect): While Formula One drivers like Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel have won the award, it has not been received “mostly” by them. Historically, the award has been dominated by Tennis players. Winners from the tennis world include Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, who collectively hold more titles than any other single sport.
• Statement 3 (Correct): Roger Federer holds the record for the most Laureus World Sports Awards won by an individual. He has won a total of six awards—five for Sportsman of the Year and one for Comeback of the Year. Novak Djokovic has since tied him for the most “Sportsman of the Year” wins (5), but Federer remains a primary record-holder in the history of the awards.

The awards are unique because the winners are selected by the Laureus World Sports Academy, a jury made up of living sporting legends, rather than a general vote or a panel of journalists.

Notes:
Karnataka’s Budget 2026-27 allocates Rs 44,054 crore to Education, Sports, Arts, and Culture, an 11% increase over 2025-26’s Rs 39,642 crore. This funding includes Rs 15,693 crore for government primary schools, Rs 5,556 crore for high schools, Rs 2,230 crore for Samagra Shikshana Karnataka, Rs 3,900 crore for new Karnataka Public Schools, Rs 2,500 crore for Higher Education Transformation, and Rs 1,000 crore to upgrade minority schools. The allocation represents 10.7% of the total state expenditure, below the average state allocation of 14.5% and below the 15% demand by educationists.

Notes:
Indian men’s hockey team forward Gurjant Singh announced his retirement from international hockey at the Hockey India Awards in New Delhi. Gurjant Singh is 31 years old and has had a career spanning nearly a decade, earning 130 international caps and scoring 33 goals. He was part of the Indian teams that won Olympic bronze medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. Gurjant also contributed to India winning gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, 2017 Asia Cup, and multiple Asian Champions Trophy titles. In 2021, he was awarded the Arjuna Award, one of India’s highest sporting honours.