In the year 2011, ace Indian badminton player Saina Nehwal was honoured with which national sports award of India?

Introduction / Context:
Saina Nehwal is one of India's most successful badminton players and a key figure in the rise of Indian badminton on the global stage. This question tests awareness of India's top national sports honours and, in particular, which prestigious award was associated with Saina Nehwal around 2011. Knowing the hierarchy and timing of awards such as the Arjuna Award and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is very important for general knowledge and competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The year mentioned in the question is 2011.
• The sportsperson is Saina Nehwal, an ace Indian badminton player.
• The options given are Dronacharya Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award and None of these.
• We assume standard Government of India records for sports awards.

Concept / Approach:
The key concept is understanding India's major sports awards. The Arjuna Award is for outstanding performance by sportspersons over a period. The Dronacharya Award is specifically for coaches. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (now renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna) is India's highest sporting honour given for spectacular and most outstanding performance at the international level. Saina Nehwal first received the Arjuna Award and later received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, which is the crucial point for this question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall Saina Nehwal's award timeline: she received the Arjuna Award earlier in her career, before receiving the country's highest sports honour.Step 2: Understand that the Dronacharya Award is not given to players, but to coaches, so it cannot apply to Saina Nehwal as a player.Step 3: Remember that Saina Nehwal was selected for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award around 2010–2011, following her consistent international success.Step 4: Recognise that 'None of these' would only be correct if none of the listed awards matched Saina Nehwal's national honours, which is not the case.Step 5: Therefore, the option that correctly captures the top sports award associated with her in that period is the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, we can mentally list Saina Nehwal's national awards: Arjuna Award first, then the Padma Shri as a civilian award, and then the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for her extraordinary achievements, including Super Series titles and a surge in world rankings. The Dronacharya Award never applies to her because that award is strictly meant for coaches. Thus, the only major national sports award in the options that fits Saina as a player at that level is the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Dronacharya Award is wrong because it is conferred on outstanding coaches, not on athletes. Arjuna Award is indeed an important honour, but Saina Nehwal had already received it earlier and the question asks about the later, higher distinction. 'None of these' is incorrect because one of the listed awards clearly applies to her. Therefore, these alternatives do not match the award for which she was prominently recognised around 2011.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse the order in which sportspersons receive the Arjuna Award and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, or to assume that a successful player might get the Dronacharya Award. Another pitfall is to choose 'None of these' out of uncertainty. To avoid such errors, it is helpful to remember that top performers often move from the Arjuna Award to the Khel Ratna as their achievements grow, and that Saina Nehwal is one of the famous Khel Ratna recipients from badminton.

Final Answer:
In 2011, Saina Nehwal was honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.