Which Indian badminton player received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in the year 2010 for outstanding performance in sports?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of Indian sports awards, specifically the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, which is one of the highest sporting honours in India. It focuses on identifying the badminton player who received this award in 2010, an important milestone in Indian badminton history.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The award mentioned is the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
• The year of reference is 2010.
• The sport is badminton.
• The options list prominent Indian badminton players and a generic option.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this correctly, a candidate must remember key Indian sports personalities and their major awards. Saina Nehwal had a breakthrough period around 2009 and 2010 with significant international achievements, which led to her receiving the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. The approach is simply to connect the correct player with the correct award year.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall which badminton player was at the peak of her career around 2010 with major international titles. Step 2: Recognize that Saina Nehwal achieved several high profile victories around that time, including Super Series titles and a strong world ranking. Step 3: Remember that these achievements led to her receiving the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Step 4: Examine the options and identify Saina Nehwal among them. Step 5: Confirm that other listed players did not receive the Khel Ratna in that particular year.

Verification / Alternative check:
As an alternative check, candidates can recall that P. V. Sindhu rose to major international prominence slightly later, especially after 2013. Jwala Gutta is known mainly as a doubles specialist and did not receive the Khel Ratna Award in 2010. The option None of the above would only be correct if no listed player had received the award, which is not the case here. Therefore, logically the only correct match is Saina Nehwal.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Jwala Gutta has been a successful doubles player but did not receive the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010. P. V. Sindhu became a world champion and Olympic medalist later and received top awards in later years, not in 2010. None of the above is wrong because Saina Nehwal, who is one of the given options, did receive the award in that year. Aparna Popat is a former Indian badminton champion but she is not associated with the Khel Ratna Award of 2010.

Common Pitfalls:
A common error is mixing up timelines of achievements of Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu, since both are leading Indian badminton players. Another pitfall is choosing None of the above without carefully recalling the historical record of the award. Candidates should pay close attention to the year mentioned and connect it accurately with the correct sportsperson.

Final Answer:
The badminton player who received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010 is Saina Nehwal.