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.
'I've 'de-sold' myself to a few films.'
Indian squash player Velavan Senthilkumar secured his first PSA Copper-level title at the Budapest Open, defeating local favourite Balazs Farkas in a dominant final performance. This victory marks his 11th PSA Tour crown and follows impressive wins against Veer Chotrani and Eain Yow.
India's Velavan Senthilkumar has advanced to the final of the Budapest Open squash tournament after defeating compatriot Veer Chotrani in the semi-finals. He will now compete against local favourite Balazs Farkas for the title, marking his 15th PSA tour final appearance.
Indian squash players Veer Chotrani and Velavan Senthilkumar have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the Budapest Open, a significant PSA copper event in Hungary, showcasing strong performances against international competitors.
Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav has written to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, recommending Olympic medallist Mirabai Chanu for the Arjuna Award. Despite having received higher honours like the Khel Ratna and Padma Shri, Chanu's childhood dream of the Arjuna Award remains unfulfilled, and Jadhav believes it would be a fitting recognition of her contributions to Indian sport.
On National Sports Day, political leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and several Chief Ministers paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand and lauded Indian sportspersons for their contributions to the country.
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh attributes his illustrious career, including over 400 Test wickets and India's first Test hat-trick, to divine will and the sacrifices of his family, stating, 'To think that I am important was such a big illusion. Because whatever I became was Waheguru's blessing'.
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.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver-medallist judoka Tulika Maan has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for three whereabouts failures, leading to her withdrawal from the ongoing Glasgow edition. This comes after another judoka, Arun Kumar, was also withdrawn for a dope test failure.
Before Shabana Azmi tries to outrival herself in the Batwara 1947 and Awarapan 2 clash, we look at other Bollywood stars whose films released on the same day.
Indian athlete Praveen Chithravel secured a silver medal in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, bringing immense pride to his agricultural daily wage worker father and their village in Tamil Nadu.
Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu is now setting her sights on an Asian Games medal, acknowledging the immense pressure that comes with high expectations after her successful Commonwealth Games campaign.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced a Rs 100 crore allocation for sports infrastructure and athlete development during a Sports Conclave in Raipur. The state government is focused on promoting sports, nurturing talent, and providing employment opportunities for outstanding sportspersons, alongside organising major sporting events like the Bastar and Surguja Olympics.
Indian weightlifter Valluri Ajaya Babu secured a silver medal in the men's 79kg category at the Commonwealth Games, setting a new Games record in snatch and narrowly missing gold to Malaysia's Erry Hidayat Muhammad. This marks India's sixth weightlifting medal at the current Games, showcasing Babu's remarkable performance and potential.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist Tulika Maan has been provisionally suspended by NADA for three whereabouts failures, leading to her withdrawal from the ongoing Glasgow edition. She faces a potential two-year ban, making her the second Indian judoka pulled from the Games due to anti-doping violations.
Indian para-athlete Dilip Mahadu Gavit, fresh off winning the Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medal in the men's T47 100m with a Games record, dedicated his triumph to his coach Vaijanath Kale on Guru Purnima, crediting him for spotting his talent and transforming his career.
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the men's 60kg class, while the women's lawn bowls pair of Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh secured their third consecutive victory at the Commonwealth Games. Despite some disappointments in swimming and wheelchair basketball, India is looking forward to potential medals, with Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu expected to retain her weightlifting crown.
Five individuals were killed and two injured in a fatal gunfight stemming from a land dispute in South Waziristan, northwest Pakistan. The incident involved rival groups from the Suleman Khel tribe, prompting police to initiate legal proceedings to bring the culprits to justice.
Commonwealth Games silver medallist judoka Tulika Maan is determined to overcome her Paris Olympics disappointment and win a gold medal at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She is confident about facing her 2022 final opponent, Sarah Adlington, again.
Hockey star Hardik Singh lone recommendation for Khel Ratna; Divya, TJ & Mehuli for Arjuna
Taliban militants launched two separate attacks near Peshawar, Pakistan. In one incident, six Frontier Constabulary personnel were killed and four injured while thwarting an attempt to seize a check post, with eight militants also killed. In a second attack, two security personnel were abducted, and a check-post was bombed. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Manpreet Singh on Wednesday became India's most-capped hockey player with his 413th appearance for the country during the FIH Pro League match against Germany in Rotterdam.
Two separate explosions near mosques in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during Friday prayers resulted in at least two deaths and several injuries. One incident involved an IED in Bajaur, while a suspected suicide bombing in Lakki Marwat was largely averted by a local man's heroic intervention, saving numerous lives.
Pakistani security forces killed 23 terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during operations on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the military's media wing.
The Congress has strongly criticised the US government's temporary waiver allowing India to purchase Russian oil, raising concerns about continued 'American blackmail' and its impact on India's energy policy.
Pakistani security forces killed 27 terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in multiple operations over the weekend in the country's northwest, officials said on Sunday.
Pakistan's security forces have killed 21 terrorists, including four ring leaders of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province over the last three days. These operations are part of an ongoing counter-terrorism campaign, with a total of 48 "khwarij" eliminated since last week.
The Association for Sports Industry Professionals (ASIP) has partnered with SporTech Innovation Lab to enhance support and opportunities for sports professionals across India. This collaboration will leverage SporTech's AI-powered SportsKeyz platform for various ASIP operations, aiming to advance the sports industry through technology and professional development.
Not only is Samay Raina going the Kapil Sharma route by bringing celebrities as special guests on his show -- which also means he has to be careful that his jokes don't land them in trouble as well -- but he also has to promote sponsors blatantly, observes Sreeju Sudhakaran.
With the cricket fever taking over the country, it is time to ramp up our snack game too!
Praveen Kumar, a para-athlete who overcame physical limitations to excel in high jump, will be awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to Indian para sport. He is a Paralympic champion and Arjuna Award recipient.
Security forces in Pakistan have killed 11 terrorists in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during intelligence-based operations.
Security forces in Pakistan have killed five terrorists in intelligence-based operations in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, following an attack on a police checkpost that resulted in the deaths of 15 security officials.
India's Veer Chotrani was defeated by Egypt's Mostafa Asal in the second round of the World Squash Championships, ending India's participation in the tournament.
Jaspal Rana, a legendary Indian shooter and influential coach, has passed away at 49 after battling cardiac issues. He was a pioneer who brought shooting into the national spotlight with his fearless performances and later shaped the careers of many world-class athletes, including Manu Bhaker, leaving an indelible mark on Indian sports.
'We should want Saiyaara, Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, Animal and Dhurandhar to coexist. Let the audience decide what they connect with.'
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released the Srinagar Khel Sankalp document, outlining a national vision to strengthen sports culture through cooperative federalism, focusing on athlete-centric development and infrastructure expansion.
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.
