President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Sports Awards 2025 at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 13, 2026.
A total of 17 sportspersons received the Arjuna Award for their achievements in different sporting disciplines. The awardees included decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, chess players Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujrathi, and badminton players Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.
The ceremony also recognised the contributions of coaches through the Dronacharya Awards. Former footballer I. Arumainayagam received the Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement.
One of the major highlights of this year's ceremony was the absence of the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. No athlete was selected for the country's highest sporting honour, making it the first such occasion since 2014.
National Sports Awards 2025: Key Highlights
The National Sports Awards recognise the achievements of athletes, coaches and other contributors who have helped promote sports in India.
Here are some important highlights from the November 13 ceremony:
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Award presenter: President Droupadi Murmu.
Venue: Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.
Arjuna Award recipients: 17 sportspersons.
Arjuna Award (Lifetime Achievement): I. Arumainayagam.
Dronacharya Award recipients: Parveer Singh, Chhote Lal Yadav and Neha Chavan.
Dronacharya Award (Lifetime): Dharmendra Yadav and Virender Kumar.
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna: No recipient selected.
Complete List of National Sports Awards 2025 Winners
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the awardees after a re-evaluation of the recommendations made by a selection committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Kumar Mishra.
The final list includes athletes from athletics, badminton, boxing, chess, hockey, kabaddi, shooting and rowing.
1. Arjuna Award 2025 Winners List
The Arjuna Award is given to sportspersons for their outstanding achievements in national and international sports competitions.
This year, 17 athletes were selected for the award. Here is the complete list:
|
S. No.
|
Sportsperson
|
Sports Discipline
|
|
1
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Tejaswin Shankar
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Athletics
|
|
2
|
Priyanka Goswami
|
Athletics
|
|
3
|
Narender
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Boxing
|
|
4
|
Vidit Gujrathi
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Chess
|
|
5
|
Divya Deshmukh
|
Chess
|
|
6
|
Dhanush Srikanth
|
Deaf Shooting
|
|
7
|
Rajkumar Pal
|
Hockey
|
|
8
|
Surjeet
|
Kabaddi
|
|
9
|
Rudransh Khandelwal
|
Para-Shooting
|
|
10
|
Ekta Bhyan
|
Para-Athletics
|
|
11
|
Arvind Singh
|
Rowing
|
|
12
|
Akhil Sheoran
|
Shooting
|
|
13
|
Treesa Jolly
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Badminton
|
|
14
|
Gayatri Gopichand
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Badminton
|
|
15
|
Lalremsiami
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Hockey
|
|
16
|
Muhammed Ajmal
|
Athletics
|
|
17
|
Pooja
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Kabaddi
|
2. Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement 2025
The Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement recognises the contribution of sportspersons who have made a lasting impact on Indian sports.
This year, I. Arumainayagam was selected for the honour.
|
S. No.
|
Awardee
|
Sports Discipline
|
|
1
|
I. Arumainayagam
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Football
|
I. Arumainayagam was a member of India's gold medal-winning football team at the 1962 Asian Games.
3. Dronacharya Award 2025 Winners
The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches who have played an important role in helping athletes achieve success in sports.
Three coaches were selected for the regular category this year.
|
S. No.
|
Coach
|
Award Category
|
|
1
|
Parveer Singh
|
Regular
|
|
2
|
Chhote Lal Yadav
|
Regular
|
|
3
|
Neha Chavan
|
Regular
|
Chhote Lal Yadav was among the prominent names in this year's list. He has been associated with the women's national boxing camp and was also part of the support staff of legendary Indian boxer M. C. Mary Kom.
4. Dronacharya Award for Lifetime Achievement 2025
Two coaches received the Dronacharya Award in the Lifetime Achievement category for their long-standing contribution to Indian sports.
|
S. No.
|
Coach
|
Sports Discipline
|
|
1
|
Dharmendra Yadav
|
Boxing
|
|
2
|
Virender Kumar
|
Wrestling
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Why Was No Khel Ratna Award Given in 2025?
One of the most notable aspects of the National Sports Awards 2025 was that no athlete received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
The Khel Ratna is India's highest sporting honour. It recognises outstanding performances by sportspersons at the international level.
According to the reported award list, no name was selected for this category this year. The last time India did not have a Khel Ratna awardee was in 2014.
In 2024, four sportspersons received the prestigious award:
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D. Gukesh – Chess
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Harmanpreet Singh – Hockey
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Praveen Kumar – Para-Athletics
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Manu Bhaker – Shooting
Why Were the National Sports Awards Announced Late?
The announcement of the National Sports Awards 2025 was delayed because the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports initiated a re-evaluation of the recommendations made by the selection committee.
The committee was headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Kumar Mishra. The re-evaluation was carried out to ensure that only deserving sportspersons and coaches received the awards and to maintain the credibility of the selection process.
The delay also attracted criticism from some athletes, including Tejaswin Shankar, who expressed disappointment over the prolonged wait for the awards.
Traditionally, the National Sports Awards are presented on August 29, which is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. The day also marks the birth anniversary of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.
However, the ceremony has not followed a fixed date since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
What Are the National Sports Awards?
The National Sports Awards are presented by the Government of India through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. They recognise the achievements of athletes, coaches and organisations that contribute to the development of sports in the country.
Some of the major National Sports Awards are:
|
Award
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Purpose
|
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Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
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India's highest sporting honour for outstanding sporting performance
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Arjuna Award
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Recognises outstanding achievements by sportspersons
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Dronacharya Award
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Honours coaches for their contribution to sports and athletes
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Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar
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Recognises organisations and institutions promoting sports
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How Much Cash Prize Does an Arjuna Award Winner Receive?
The Arjuna Award is not just a recognition of sporting achievements; it also comes with a cash reward.
As reported for this year's awards, an Arjuna Award recipient receives a cash prize of ₹15 lakh.
The award is an important recognition for athletes who bring honour to the country through their performances at national and international sporting events.
Major National Sports Awards Prize Money
The National Sports Awards come with cash prizes to recognise the achievements and contributions of athletes and coaches. Check the award-wise prize money below:
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National Sports Award
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Cash Prize
|
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Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna
|
₹25 lakh
|
|
Arjuna Award
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₹15 lakh
|
|
Arjuna Award (Lifetime Achievement)
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₹15 lakh
|
|
Dronacharya Award (Regular)
|
₹10 lakh
|
|
Dronacharya Award (Lifetime Achievement)
|
₹15 lakh
|
Conclusion
The National Sports Awards 2025 recognised the hard work of Indian athletes and coaches across several sporting disciplines. From Tejaswin Shankar's achievements in athletics to Divya Deshmukh's success in chess, this year's Arjuna Award list represents India's growing presence in different sports.
The recognition of experienced coaches and former footballer I. Arumainayagam also highlights the importance of contribution and dedication beyond individual sporting achievements.