The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches under the National Sports Awards. The name evokes a teacher, which is a useful cue, but a coach's award is awarded under official criteria and not merely because an athlete won a medal. Different categories or periods can appear in Ministry lists. The recipient is the coach, not automatically the athlete whose performance brought public attention to that coach.

Many AP exam items use a category-match format. Place Dronacharya beside coach, Arjuna beside sportsperson, and Khel Ratna beside highest athlete performance recognition. Then check the full current wording of each award. Do not confuse Dronacharya with the separate Dhyan Chand lifetime achievement award. Both may be described loosely as sports honours, but their purpose and eligibility differ. A named awardee question needs the exact Ministry list for its award year, as coaching relationships can span several athletes and seasons.

Worked example: The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches under its rules. A medal-winning athlete may have a coach who receives it, but their records are separate. When an MCQ asks for recipient type, classify the award first. A coach's Dronacharya honour does not automatically give the athlete an Arjuna Award or Khel Ratna.

Active recall: Which national award category is primarily for coaches, and which is for the sportsperson?