New Delhi, August 18: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Tuesday announced the National Sports Awards 2025, recognising outstanding performances and contributions by sportspersons, coaches and organisations across various sporting disciplines.
The awards have been decided based on the recommendations of a selection committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra. The committee included eminent sportspersons, sports journalists and sports administrators.
The National Sports Awards are presented annually to honour excellence in sports and encourage continued contribution to the development of Indian sport.
17 Sportspersons to Receive Arjuna Awards
A total of 17 sportspersons have been selected for the Arjuna Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games 2025. The award recognises consistent performances over the previous four years, along with qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and discipline.
The awardees are:
- Tejaswin Shankar – Athletics
- Muhammed Ajmal V – Athletics
- Priyanka Goswami – Athletics
- Treesa Jolly – Badminton
- Pullela Gayatri Gopichand – Badminton
- Narender – Boxing
- Vidit Santosh Gujarathi – Chess
- Divya Jitendra Deshmukh – Chess
- Dhanush Srikanth – Deaf Shooting
- Lalremsiami – Hockey
- Rajkumar Pal – Hockey
- Surjeet – Kabaddi
- Pooja – Kabaddi
- Rudransh Khandelwal – Para-Shooting
- Ekta Bhyan – Para Athletics
- Arvind Singh – Rowing
- Akhil Sheoran – Shooting
Arjuna Award (Lifetime)
The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) has been announced for I Arumainayagam in recognition of his contribution to football.
The lifetime category is intended to honour sportspersons who have made significant contributions through their performances and continued to promote sports even after retiring from active competition.
Five Coaches Selected for Dronacharya Award
Five coaches have been selected for the Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches in Sports and Games 2025.
In the regular category, the awardees are:
- Parveer Singh – Athletics
- Chhote Lal Yadav – Boxing
- Neha Nandkumar Chavan – Shooting
The lifetime category recognises:
- Dharmendra Singh Yadav – Boxing
- Virender Kumar – Wrestling
The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches for sustained and meritorious work that helps athletes achieve excellence at international competitions.
Army Paralympic Node Gets Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
The Army Paralympic Node, Pune has been selected for the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025.
The award is presented to corporate entities, both public and private, as well as non-governmental organisations that have played a significant role in promoting and developing sports.
Large Number of Applications Received
The Ministry said applications for the National Sports Awards were invited through an online portal, allowing sportspersons, coaches and eligible entities to apply themselves.
A large number of applications were received this year. These were examined by the selection committee headed by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, along with members drawn from the sporting fraternity, sports journalism and sports administration.
The awards are aimed at recognising sporting excellence while encouraging athletes, coaches and organisations to make continued contributions towards strengthening India's sporting ecosystem.
