Hardik Singh Nominated for Khel Ratna; Arjuna Awards Recognize Emerging Sports Stars

The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards nominations have been announced, with Hardik Singh leading the Khel Ratna nominations. Young talents like Divya Deshmukh and Tejaswin Shankar are also recognized among the 24 Arjuna awardees. This year's selections highlight the achievements of athletes across various sports, including chess, athletics, and gymnastics. Notably, Aarti Pal has made history as the first Yogasan athlete nominated for the Arjuna award. The awards celebrate excellence in Indian sports, with significant cash prizes accompanying the honors.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 24, 2025, 17:47 IST

Major Awards Announced for Indian Athletes

The Indian men's hockey team vice-captain, Hardik Singh, has been nominated for this year's prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Alongside him, young chess prodigy Divya Deshmukh and pioneering decathlete Tejaswin Shankar are among the 24 athletes selected for the Arjuna awards by the selection committee on Wednesday.

At 27, Hardik has established himself as a crucial player in India's midfield and contributed to the teams that secured medals at both the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This year, he played a significant role in India's victory at the Asia Cup.

In a groundbreaking move, Aarti Pal, a Yogasan athlete, has been put forward for the Arjuna award, marking a significant milestone five years after the discipline was officially recognized by the Sports Ministry.

Aarti currently holds the titles of national and Asian champion in her sport, which is set to be showcased at the 2026 Asian Games.

The selection panel, which convened on Wednesday, finalized 21 additional names for the Arjuna awards. This panel includes notable figures such as Gagan Narang, Vice-President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), former badminton star Aparna Popat, and ex-hockey player MM Somaya.

Nineteen-year-old Divya Deshmukh has made history as the first Indian woman to win a World Cup in chess. Alongside her, fellow chess player Vidit Gujrathi has also been nominated for the Arjuna award, as has Tejaswin Shankar, who made headlines with a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games and a second-place finish at the Asian Championships earlier this year.

Other notable nominees for the Arjuna award include rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, a two-time World Championship bronze medalist, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and the top women's badminton duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand.

Gayatri is the daughter of renowned national badminton coach and former All England champion Pullela Gopichand.

Interestingly, the list of nominees does not include any cricketers, with Mohammed Shami being the last to receive the honor in 2023.

The Khel Ratna, recognized as the highest sporting accolade in India, includes a medallion, a citation, and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh, while the Arjuna award provides a monetary reward of ₹15 lakh.

Last year, the Khel Ratna was awarded to four distinguished athletes: world champion chess player D Gukesh, men's hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh, para-athlete Praveen Kumar, and shooter Manu Bhaker.

List of National Sports Awards Recommendations

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna: Hardik Singh (Hockey)

Arjuna Awards: Tejaswin Shankar (Athletics), Priyanka (Athletics), Narender (Boxing), Vidit Gujrathi (Chess), Divya Deshmukh (Chess), Dhanush Srikanth (Deaf Shooting), Pranati Nayak (Gymnastics), Rajkumar Pal (Hockey), Surjeet (Kabaddi), Nirmala Bhati (Kho Kho), Rudransh Khandelwal (Para-Shooting), Ekta Bhyan (Para-athletics), Padmanabh Singh (Polo), Arvind Singh (Rowing), Akhil Sheoran (Shooting), Mehuli Ghosh (Shooting), Sutirtha Mukherjee (Table Tennis), Sonam Malik (Wrestling), Aarti (Yoga), Treesa Jolly (Badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi).