The Sports Ministry has not named any athlete for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, but announced 17 sportspersons for the Arjuna Award on Tuesday (Aug 18). India’s highest sporting honour, instituted in 1991/92, will have no recipient for 2025 – only for the third time in history and the first since 2014. The National Sports Awards selection committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Arun Kumar Mishra, cleared the recommendations, and later forwarded them to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya for final assent. &nbsp;The development comes after three names- compound archer Jyothi Surekha and the Indian women's cricket team captain and her deputy, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, respectively- were considered for the Khel Ratna, with the committee discussing those names at its meeting in New Delhi in December last year.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bwf-world-championships-2026-ayush-shetty-upsets-reigning-world-champion-shi-yuqi-in-opening-match-pv-sindhu-wins-1786975359842">BWF World Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty upsets reigning world champion Shi Yuqi in opening match; PV Sindhu wins</a> &nbsp;Although a Times of India (TOI) report claims that the names of the two women’s cricketers were discussed at length, the absence of a specific point-based system to assess cricket performances became a hindrance. Usually in such cases, the committee relies on the BCCI’s nominations, and the Indian Cricket Board made no nominations for this award last year. &nbsp;Fast bowler Mohammed Shami was the last cricketer to be conferred with the prestigious Khel Ratna Award, which carries a cash prize of INR 25 lakh, a medallion and a citation, in 2023.&nbsp; &nbsp;While there was no name for the top prize, the sports ministry named 17 athletes from different disciplines for the Arjuna Award for their excellence in their respective events last year.<h3>Here is the full list of 17 Arjuna Award winners –</h3><ol><li>Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics)</li><li>Muhammed Ajmal V (Athletics)&nbsp;</li><li>Priyanka Goswami (Athletics)</li><li>Treesa Jolly (Badminton)</li><li>Pullela Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton)&nbsp;</li><li>Narender (Boxing)&nbsp;</li><li>Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (Chess)</li><li>Divya Jitendra Deshmukh (Chess)</li><li>Dhanush Srikanth (Deaf Shooter)</li><li>Lalremsiami (Hockey)&nbsp;</li><li>Rajkumar Pal (Hockey)&nbsp;</li><li>Surjeet (Kabaddi)&nbsp;</li><li>Pooja (Kabaddi)</li><li>Rudransh Khandelwal (Para Shooting)</li><li>Ekta Bhyan (Para-Athlete)&nbsp;</li><li>Arvind Singh (Rowing)</li><li>Akhil Sheoran (Shooting)</li></ol>

Moreover, the sports ministry also conferred one Arjuna Award in the lifetime category on footballer I Arumainayagam. &nbsp;On the other hand, the names of the coaches recommended for the Dronacharya Awards included Parveer Singh (Athletics), Chhote Lal Yadav (Boxing) and shooting coach Neha Nandkumar Chavan.&nbsp; &nbsp;The lifetime category honours went to coaches Dharmendra Singh Yadav (Boxing) and Virender Kumar (Wrestling). &nbsp;Besides, the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for sports promotion and development has been awarded to Army Paralympic Node, Pune.

The Sports Ministry has announced the National Sports Awards 2025, leaving the Khel Ratna vacant while naming 17 athletes, including Tejaswin Shankar and Divya Deshmukh, for the Arjuna Award.

The Sports Ministry has not named any athlete for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, but announced 17 sportspersons for the Arjuna Award on Tuesday (Aug 18). India’s highest sporting honour, instituted in 1991/92, will have no recipient for 2025 – only for the third time in history and the first since 2014. The National Sports Awards selection committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Arun Kumar Mishra, cleared the recommendations, and later forwarded them to sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya for final assent. The development comes after three names- compound archer Jyothi Surekha and the Indian women's cricket team captain and her deputy, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, respectively- were considered for the Khel Ratna, with the committee discussing those names at its meeting in New Delhi in December last year. Also read| BWF World Championships 2026: Ayush Shetty upsets reigning world champion Shi Yuqi in opening match; PV Sindhu wins Although a Times of India (TOI) report claims that the names of the two women’s cricketers were discussed at length, the absence of a specific point-based system to assess cricket performances became a hindrance. Usually in such cases, the committee relies on the BCCI’s nominations, and the Indian Cricket Board made no nominations for this award last year. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami was the last cricketer to be conferred with the prestigious Khel Ratna Award, which carries a cash prize of INR 25 lakh, a medallion and a citation, in 2023. While there was no name for the top prize, the sports ministry named 17 athletes from different disciplines for the Arjuna Award for their excellence in their respective events last year. Here is the full list of 17 Arjuna Award winners – 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 Shooter) Lalremsiami (Hockey) Rajkumar Pal (Hockey) Surjeet (Kabaddi) Pooja (Kabaddi) Rudransh Khandelwal (Para Shooting) Ekta Bhyan (Para-Athlete) Arvind Singh (Rowing) Akhil Sheoran (Shooting)

The Sports Ministry has announced the National Sports Awards 2025, leaving the Khel Ratna vacant while naming 17 athletes, including Tejaswin Shankar and Divya Deshmukh, for the Arjuna Award.

No Khel Ratna winner for 2025 as Sports Ministry approves 17 Arjuna awardees

Indian men’s hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh has emerged as the sole nominee for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award as the list for the National Sports Awards 2025 was finalised on Wednesday (Dec 24). Alongside him, 24 sportspersons from different disciplines have been shortlisted for the Arjuna Awards, highlighting a strong mix of youth, experience, and consistent performance across sports.&nbsp;Hardik’s nomination comes as recognition of his long-standing contribution to Indian hockey. A key figure in the midfield, he has been central to India’s success in recent years. He played a vital role in India’s Olympic medal-winning campaigns at Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 and was also part of the squad that clinched gold at the Asia Cup earlier this year. His work rate, leadership, and ability to control the tempo of the game have made him one of India’s most reliable players.&nbsp;Also read | '<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fans-slam-bcci-for-cctv-footage-quality-uploads-of-virat-kohli-rohit-sharma-vijay-hazare-trophy-hundreds-1766593507425">Richest board and WTF...' - Fans slam BCCI for ‘CCTV footage quality’ uploads of Virat, Rohit’s VHT hundreds</a>&nbsp;Notably, no cricketer has been shortlisted for this year’s National Sports Awards. Mohammed Shami remains the last cricketer to receive the Khel Ratna, which he won in 2023.&nbsp;The selection panel met in New Delhi and carefully reviewed performances before finalising the names. The panel included Indian Olympic Association vice-president Gagan Narang, former badminton player Aparna Popat, and former hockey player MM Somaya.&nbsp;Apart from Hardik, the Arjuna Awards list features athletes from a wide range of sports such as athletics, boxing, shooting, wrestling, badminton, chess, hockey, kabaddi, and more. Young stars like chess players Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujrathi have found a place on the list, along with experienced names like shooter Mehuli Ghosh and wrestler Sonam Malik.&nbsp;The final awards ceremony is expected to take place later, where these athletes will be honoured for their dedication and impact on Indian sport.<h2>List of nominees</h2><ol><li>Khel Ratna: Hardik Singh (Hockey)</li><li>Arjuna Awards: Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Priyanka (Athletics), Narender (Boxing), Vidit Gujrathi (Chess), Divya Deshmukh (Chess), Dhanush Srikanth (Deaf Shooting), Pranati Nayak (Gymnastics), Rajkumar Pal (Hockey), Surjeet (Kabaddi), Nirmala Bhati (Kho Kho), Rudransh Khandelwal (Para Shooting), Ekta Bhyan (Para Athletics), Padmanabh Singh (Polo), Arvind Singh (Rowing), Akhil Sheoran (Shooting), Mehuli Ghosh (Shooting), Sutirtha Mukherjee (Table Tennis), Sonam Malik (Wrestling), Aarti (Yoga), Treesa Jolly (Badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi)</li></ol>

Hardik Singh is the sole nominee for the Khel Ratna at the National Sports Awards 2025, while 24 athletes from various sports have been shortlisted for the Arjuna Awards.


Indian men’s hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh has emerged as the sole nominee for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award as the list for the National Sports Awards 2025 was finalised on Wednesday (Dec 24). Alongside him, 24 sportspersons from different disciplines have been shortlisted for the Arjuna Awards, highlighting a strong mix of youth, experience, and consistent performance across sports. Hardik’s nomination comes as recognition of his long-standing contribution to Indian hockey. A key figure in the midfield, he has been central to India’s success in recent years. He played a vital role in India’s Olympic medal-winning campaigns at Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 and was also part of the squad that clinched gold at the Asia Cup earlier this year. His work rate, leadership, and ability to control the tempo of the game have made him one of India’s most reliable players. Also read | 'Richest board and WTF...' - Fans slam BCCI for ‘CCTV footage quality’ uploads of Virat, Rohit’s VHT hundreds Notably, no cricketer has been shortlisted for this year’s National Sports Awards. Mohammed Shami remains the last cricketer to receive the Khel Ratna, which he won in 2023. The selection panel met in New Delhi and carefully reviewed performances before finalising the names. The panel included Indian Olympic Association vice-president Gagan Narang, former badminton player Aparna Popat, and former hockey player MM Somaya. Apart from Hardik, the Arjuna Awards list features athletes from a wide range of sports such as athletics, boxing, shooting, wrestling, badminton, chess, hockey, kabaddi, and more. Young stars like chess players Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujrathi have found a place on the list, along with experienced names like shooter Mehuli Ghosh and wrestler Sonam Malik. The final awards ceremony is expected to take place later, where these athletes will be honoured for their dedication and impact on Indian sport. List of nominees Khel Ratna: Hardik Singh (Hockey) Arjuna Awards: Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Priyanka (Athletics), Narender (Boxing), Vidit Gujrathi (Chess), Divya Deshmukh (Chess), Dhanush Srikanth (Deaf Shooting), Pranati Nayak (Gymnastics), Rajkumar Pal (Hockey), Surjeet (Kabaddi), Nirmala Bhati (Kho Kho), Rudransh Khandelwal (Para Shooting), Ekta Bhyan (Para Athletics), Padmanabh Singh (Polo), Arvind Singh (Rowing), Akhil Sheoran (Shooting), Mehuli Ghosh (Shooting), Sutirtha Mukherjee (Table Tennis), Sonam Malik (Wrestling), Aarti (Yoga), Treesa Jolly (Badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi)

Hardik Singh is the sole nominee for the Khel Ratna at the National Sports Awards 2025, while 24 athletes from various sports have been shortlisted for the Arjuna Awards.

National Sports Awards 2025: Hardik Singh lone Khel Ratna nominee, 24 named for Arjuna Awards

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No Khel Ratna winner for 2025 as Sports Ministry approves 17 Arjuna awardees

Hardik Singh lone Khel Ratna nominee, 24 named for Arjuna Awards