Athletes from various disciplines have a reason to celebrate as the Indian government has officially released the list of recipients for the National Sports Awards 2025. According to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, a total of 17 exceptional athletes will be honored with the prestigious Arjuna Award this year for their outstanding contributions to sports. Alongside these, winners of coaching honors and lifetime achievement categories have also been revealed following recommendations by a dedicated selection panel.
Selection Process Led by Retired Supreme Court Judge
The names for this year's awards were finalized based on recommendations put forward by a selection committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retired) Arun Kumar Mishra. The ministry reviewed these suggestions before releasing the final roster. These annual honors recognize athletes, mentors, and organizations that display remarkable prowess and dedication to elevating the nation's standing in the sports arena.
Stars from Athletics and Badminton Make the Cut
The Arjuna Award 2025 roster spans a wide array of competitive sports. Track and field athletes Tejaswin Shankar, Muhammed Ajmal V, and Priyanka गोस्वामी (Priyanka Goswami) have secured their spots. In badminton, Treesa Jolly alongside Pullela Gayatri Gopichand, daughter of legendary coach Pullela Gopichand, have been selected. Meanwhile, Narendra has been chosen to receive the honor in the boxing category.
Chess, Shooting, and Hockey Champions Honored
The prestigious list further highlights prominent minds in chess, with Vidit Santosh Gujrathi and Divya Jitendra Deshmukh earning the accolade. Dhanush Srikanth has been selected in deaf shooting, while Lalremsiyami and Rajkumar Pal will represent hockey among the awardees. Kabaddi players Surjit and Pooja have also made the list. In the para-sports segment, Rudransh Khandelwal for para-shooting and Ekta Bhayan for para-athletics have been named, alongside Arvind Singh in rowing and Akhil Sheoran in shooting.
Lifetime Arjuna and Dronacharya Honors Revealed
Recognizing sustained excellence during an active career and continued dedication post-retirement, I. Arumainayagam has been chosen for the lifetime Arjuna Award for contribution to football. Furthermore, the Dronacharya Awards for coaching excellence have been unveiled. Parveer Singh in athletics, Chhote Lal Yadav in boxing, and Neha Nandkumar Chavan in shooting have been selected in the regular category. In the lifetime category, Dharmendra Singh Yadav for boxing and Virender Kumar for wrestling will receive the honors.
