Seventeen Indian sportspersons, including World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand, have been named for the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
Assam's first Arjuna Awardee sprinter Bhogeswar Baruah has criticised the state government's sports policy, saying it is not taking enough initiatives to identify and nurture talent in rural areas.
On November 30, President Droupadi Murmu presented the Sports and Adventure Awards 2022.
The National Sports Awards in India have been delayed due to a re-evaluation process aimed at ensuring only deserving athletes receive the honour. The Sports Ministry is reassessing Arjuna Award recommendations to maintain the award's value and avoid controversies.
Sports Minister Vikram Verma said old policies will be followed while electing sportspersons for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.
Tripura's Asmita Dey, the first Indian judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold, was grandly felicitated by the state government. She received a Rs 10 lakh cheque and a plot of land in Agartala, with Chief Minister Manik Saha highlighting her inspiring journey and urging her to focus on the upcoming Asian Games.
S Bhaskaran is the first bodybuilder to be presented the Arjuna Award in 20 years.
The ace shuttler's name was inadvertently omitted from the list issued by the Press Information Bureau.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured continued government support to trap shooter Neeru Dhanda and pistol ace Esha Singh, who recently achieved historic gold medals at ISSF World Cups. Mandaviya highlighted shooting as a priority sport for India, with significant investment in athlete development programs like TOPS and Khelo India, aiming for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games success.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Ronjan Sodhi believes India's ambitious target of 30-40 medals at the 2036 Olympics is a 'distant prospect', citing significant delays in talent identification, scouting, and critical infrastructure improvements.
A delegation of Indian women archers, including para-archer Sheetal Devi, met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ahead of the 4th Khelo India women's national ranking archery tournament.
Expressing happiness at the recommendation for the coveted Arjuna Award, ace quartermiler M R Poovamma described it as a "dream come true".
Olympic silver medallist wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Paralympic bronze medallist high jumper Sharad Kumar have obtained interim relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in their petitions for regularisation of their ad-hoc services with the Delhi government. Both athletes, who resigned from previous stable positions, have been serving in temporary roles within the Directorate of Education for several years without regularisation.
Gurpreet is the 26th footballer to win an Arjuna.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
Satwik and his doubles partner Chirag Shetty, who had claimed the Commonwealth Games silver in 2018 and won the Thailand Open Super 500 last year, were recommended for the Arjuna Award jointly.
The National Sports Awards have been delayed due to a re-evaluation process by the Sports Ministry to ensure only deserving athletes are honoured. The ministry aims to establish clearer criteria to avoid controversies and ensure deserving athletes are recognised without unnecessary hurdles.
On current form, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa can be considered one of the most dangerous opponents in world chess, even more dangerous than world No. 1 Carlsen, says Pravind Thipsay.
Former footballer Aditi Chauhan and ex-hockey captain M M Somaiya will observe Vinesh Phogat's Asian Games trial, representing the IOA and Sports Ministry.
Former India shooter Moraad Ali Khan paid tribute to Randhir Singh, highlighting his achievements as a shooter and administrator.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
Veteran sports administrator and India's first shooting gold-medallist in Asian Games, Randhir Singh, died on Wednesday after battling age-related ailments. He was 79.
MR Poovamma was a member of the gold-winning 4x400m women's and mixed relay teams in the 2018 Asian Games and also part of the 4x400m relay squad that won the gold at the 2014 Asian Games.
After allegations of sexual harassment by a group of female CRPF personnel, the force conducted an investigation and determined his guilt, sources said.
Indian women's assistant volleyball coach Radhika Paruchuri believes that franchise-based leagues, like the upcoming Volleyball Champions League, are crucial for transforming Indian volleyball. She highlights their potential to provide much-needed match exposure for young players, strengthen the talent pipeline, and help identify and nurture new talent, ultimately raising the standard of the sport in India. Paruchuri also notes the decline in Indian women's volleyball due to a lack of international exposure and domestic competition, which these leagues aim to address.
A factory belonging to relatives of an Arjuna award winner was on Sunday searched by Punjab police in a village in Fatehgarh Sahib in the wake of recovery of 26 kg haul of heroin with a street value of Rs 130 crore.
Former Indian boxing coach Mohammed Ali Qamar believes the country's women's boxing squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games is one of its best ever, with each of the seven members capable of securing a medal, though he cautioned that draws would be crucial.
Sheetal Devi, the armless archer from India, has been named 'Para Archer of the Year 2025' by World Archery, recognising her outstanding achievements, including a world championship title.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has agreed to rework its selection criteria after talks with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) following the suspension of an assessment camp due to alleged irregularities. The decision comes after concerns were raised about transparency and fair play in the selection process for the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
The Fit India Movement launched a three-day International Women's Day Carnival at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, celebrating women's strength and leadership through fitness activities and sport.
'I was expecting that (Khel Ratna) but there were other deserving athletes. It is fine. I will continue to strive for it'
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is set to introduce approximately 7.5 lakh school students to the sport of shooting as part of its 75th foundation anniversary celebrations.
The Indian shooting fraternity is mourning the sudden demise of legendary pistol ace and Dronacharya awardee Jaspal Rana at the age of 49 due to cardiac complications. Rana, a multiple-time Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist, was also a highly successful coach who mentored Olympic medallists like Manu Bhaker, leaving an indelible mark on Indian shooting.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee criticises the Union government over the hike in commercial LPG prices, accusing the Centre of 'taking' from people while the Mamata Banerjee administration provides relief. He also challenged the BJP to present a report card of its work in Rajganj constituency.
Former recipients of the Arjuna award on Tuesday lamented that its dignity has been lowered and the government is now 'throwing' the honour away.
India, the eight-time Olympic champions, won their only World Cup in Kuala Lumpur in 1975 defeating Pakistan 2-1 with Surjit Singh Randhawa and Ashok Kumar netting the goals.
In February this year, the Arjuna awardee had lodged an FIR against Deepak Hooda, accusing the Asiad bronze-winning kabaddi player and his family of assaulting her for dowry.
Shooter Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics while Gukesh was crowned the World Chess Champion in Singapore, last month.
