Seventeen Athletes Earn Arjuna Glory as Khel Ratna Goes Unclaimed
The National Sports Awards 2025 have spotlighted India’s growing sporting depth, with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announcing 17 Arjuna Award winners and one Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement. However, the biggest talking point is the absence of a recipient for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour.
The awards recognise outstanding performers across athletics, chess, badminton, hockey, shooting, boxing, rowing, kabaddi and para-sports, reflecting the country’s expanding sporting landscape. Yet the vacant Khel Ratna category has sparked fresh debate over the criteria for India’s most prestigious sports award.
Recognising Sustained Excellence Across Disciplines
The National Sports Awards are based on the recommendations of a selection committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, former Supreme Court judge.
The Arjuna Award honours athletes who have demonstrated sustained excellence over the previous four years while embodying leadership, discipline and sportsmanship. This year’s selections underline the government’s emphasis on rewarding consistent performance across both Olympic and non-Olympic sports.
Star Athletes Headline the 2025 Honours
Among the most prominent winners is Tejaswin Shankar, whose achievements have transformed India’s standing in multi-event athletics. His historic Commonwealth Games decathlon bronze highlighted the growing competitiveness of Indian athletes in one of track and field’s most demanding events.
Indian chess continues its remarkable rise with Vidit Gujrathi and Divya Deshmukh receiving Arjuna Awards. Deshmukh’s recognition follows her landmark triumph at the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 in Batumi, where she became India’s fourth female Grandmaster. Together, their selection reflects India’s emergence as a global chess powerhouse across both open and women’s competitions.
The awards also celebrate badminton stars Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, whose performances have strengthened India’s doubles credentials on the international circuit.
Diversity Defines This Year’s Award List
The 2025 honours stand out for their inclusivity, recognising athletes from a wide range of sporting backgrounds. Among the notable awardees are:
· Deaf shooter Dhanush Srikanth
· Para-shooter Rudransh Khandelwal
· Para-athlete Ekta Bhyan
· Hockey players Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal
· Sprinters Muhammed Ajmal V and Priyanka Goswami
· Boxer Narender
· Rower Arvind Singh
Their inclusion highlights the increasing prominence of para-sports and emerging disciplines within India’s sporting ecosystem.
Meanwhile, former footballer I. Arumainayagam received the Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement, honouring his role in India’s 1962 Asian Games gold-winning football team and his three Durand Cup triumphs.
Why the Empty Khel Ratna Matters
The decision not to confer the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna has become the announcement’s defining feature.
In contrast, 2024 saw four recipients—Gukesh Dommaraju, Harmanpreet Singh, Praveen Kumar and Manu Bhaker—receive the country’s highest sporting honour. This year’s omission suggests an exceptionally high threshold for extraordinary achievement, but the absence of a public explanation has also raised questions about transparency in the selection process.
Celebrating Depth While Demanding Clarity
The National Sports Awards 2025 present a compelling picture of Indian sport at a time of remarkable expansion. The Arjuna Award list celebrates excellence across established and emerging disciplines, reinforcing the nation’s growing competitive strength. However, the vacant Khel Ratna category places greater responsibility on authorities to clearly communicate how exceptional achievement is distinguished from sustained excellence. As India’s sporting ambitions continue to rise, transparent recognition will remain as important as athletic success itself.
(With agency inputs)
