National Sports Awards 2025: Arjuna Awards For 17 Indian Athletes

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has officially announced the National Sports Awards for 2025, naming 17 athletes for the prestigious Arjuna Award. Notable recipients include chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh, badminton star Gayatri Gopichand, boxer Narender, and track-and-field athlete Tejaswin Shankar. This year's selection emphasizes a diverse range of disciplines, recognizing consistent excellence on the international stage. However, the selection committee notably did not recommend any athlete for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the nation's highest sporting honor, for this cycle.

The awards recognize the outstanding achievements of Indian sportspersons over the preceding four years. Divya Deshmukh's inclusion follows her historic performances in global chess championships, while Gayatri Gopichand has been rewarded for her steady rise in the international badminton rankings. Tejaswin Shankar’s multi-disciplinary success in athletics also garnered significant attention from the committee. The decision to skip the Khel Ratna recommendation suggests a stringent evaluation process, where the committee felt no single performance met the exceptional criteria required for the top accolade during this specific period.

These awards serve as a vital morale booster for the Indian sporting fraternity as athletes prepare for the upcoming international calendar. The recognition of 17 diverse athletes highlights India's broadening bench strength beyond traditional strongholds. For the average sports fan, the list validates the rise of new heroes in non-cricketing disciplines. The formal ceremony, typically held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, will see the President of India confer these honors. This development underscores the government's continued focus on incentivizing elite performance through national recognition and financial incentives.