Which sportsperson was honoured with the Maharashtra state government’s Shiv Chhatrapati Award for outstanding sports performance?

Introduction / Context:
Indian states often have their own sports awards to recognise outstanding performance by athletes from that region. Maharashtra confers the Shiv Chhatrapati Award on deserving sportspersons who bring glory to the state and the country. The question asks you to identify which individual received this honour, testing your awareness of regional sports awards and the achievements of prominent athletes.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The award mentioned is the Shiv Chhatrapati Award of the Maharashtra state government.
• It is specifically a sports related honour.
• Options include Smriti Mandhana, Sachin Pilot, Saina Nehwal, Periyar, and Mary Kom.
• You need to choose the correct recipient in this context.

Concept / Approach:
Smriti Mandhana is a leading Indian women’s cricketer who hails from Maharashtra and has delivered excellent performances in international cricket. She has received recognition from both national and state bodies. The Shiv Chhatrapati Award is a natural match for a high performing athlete from Maharashtra. The other personalities listed either belong primarily to politics, social movements, or different states and are not typically associated with a Maharashtra specific sports award of this type.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify which of the names are sportspersons and which are primarily political or social figures. Step 2: Recognise Smriti Mandhana as an international cricketer from Maharashtra and Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom as athletes from other states. Step 3: Recall that the Shiv Chhatrapati Award is given by the Maharashtra state government to honour sports talent from or strongly associated with the state. Step 4: Connect Smriti Mandhana’s roots in Maharashtra and her achievements with this state sports award. Step 5: Select “Smriti Mandhana” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, consider that Sachin Pilot is a politician from Rajasthan, not a sportsperson from Maharashtra. Periyar is associated with social reform in South India, again not with Maharashtra state sports awards. Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom, though outstanding athletes, are linked primarily with other states and have received different recognitions. Reports that highlighted Smriti Mandhana’s honour by Maharashtra under the Shiv Chhatrapati Award confirm that she is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sachin Pilot: A politician, not a sportsperson, and from a different state, so he is not linked to this state sports award.
Saina Nehwal: A star badminton player, but she is associated mainly with Haryana and Telangana, and the question refers specifically to the Maharashtra state government’s award.
Periyar: A famous social reformer, not an athlete, and not connected with the Shiv Chhatrapati Award, making this option incorrect.
Mary Kom: A legendary boxer from Manipur, honoured widely but not primarily associated with Maharashtra’s state sports awards in this context.

Common Pitfalls:
A major pitfall is to recognise only famous names and forget to match them with the state or domain indicated in the question. Students sometimes choose a big name like Saina Nehwal or Mary Kom simply because they are widely known, without checking whether the award in question is state specific. To avoid this, always consider the geographical and institutional link between an award and its likely recipient.

Final Answer:
The Maharashtra state government’s Shiv Chhatrapati Award was conferred on Smriti Mandhana for her sporting achievements.