India’s sporting arena consistently delivers inspiring stories of grit, resilience, and triumph on the global stage. In a grand celebration of athletic dedication and mentorship, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports officially unveiled the prestigious list of awardees for the National Sports Awards 2025, based on recommendations by the Selection Committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra.
From track and field stars to chess prodigies and dedicated coaches shaping the next generation, this year’s honorees embody the highest standards of leadership, sportsmanship, and sustained excellence.
Arjuna Awards for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games 2025
Recognizing consistent excellence over the past four years, discipline, and exemplary leadership:
Athletics: Tejaswin Shankar, Muhammed Ajmal V, Priyanka Goswami
Badminton: Treesa Jolly, Pullela Gayatri Gopichand
Boxing: Narender
Chess: Vidit Santosh Gujarathi, Divya Jitendra Deshmukh
Deaf Shooting: Dhanush Srikanth
Hockey: Lalremsiami, Rajkumar Pal
Kabaddi: Surjeet, Pooja
Para-Sports: Rudransh Khandelwal (Para-shooting), Ekta Bhyan (Para-athletics)
Rowing: Arvind Singh
Shooting: Akhil Sheoran
Arjuna Award (Lifetime)
Awarded to veterans who continue to foster and promote sports post-retirement:
Football: I Arumainayagam
Dronacharya Award for Outstanding Coaches
Honoring mentors who consistently guide athletes to international podium finishes:
Regular Category:
Parveer Singh (Athletics)
Chhote Lal Yadav (Boxing)
Neha Nandkumar Chavan (Shooting)
Lifetime Category:
Dharmendra Singh Yadav (Boxing)
Virender Kumar (Wrestling)
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
Awarded to organizations making pivotal contributions to sports promotion and infrastructure:
Army Paralympic Node, Pune
These accolades, detailed via the Press Information Bureau, reflect not only individual brilliance but also India’s expanding footprint across diverse disciplines. Congratulations to all the champions and mentors inspiring the nation toward sporting excellence.
