Hardik Singh Nominated for Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
India's Premier Sports Recognition
Hardik Singh, the vice-captain of the Indian men's hockey team and a two-time Olympic bronze medalist, has received a nomination for the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, as reported on Wednesday.
Understanding the Khel Ratna Award
This award represents the highest honor for athletes in India, presented annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The recipients are honored by the President of India. The selection panel, which includes notable figures such as Gagan Narang, MM Somaya, and Aparna Popat, finalized the nominations on Wednesday.
Previous Recipients from Hockey
Historically, six hockey players have been awarded this honor: Dhanraj Pillay (1999-2000), Sardar Singh (2017), Rani Rampal (2020), PR Sreejesh (2021), Manpreet Singh (2021), and Harmanpreet Singh (2024).
Hardik Singh's Notable Achievements
Since his debut in 2018, Hardik has been a crucial player in the Indian midfield, contributing significantly to the bronze medal victories at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics. He has also played a key role in India's gold medal triumphs at the Asia Cup 2025, which secured India's spot in the upcoming Hockey World Cup, as well as at the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 and the Asian Games. At just 27 years old, he has participated in 164 international matches. His accolades include consecutive Player of the Year awards at the Hockey India Awards in 2022 and 2023, the FIH Player of the Year 2023, and the Arjuna Award in 2021.
Arjuna Award and Other Recognitions
Last year, the Khel Ratna award was awarded to Harmanpreet Singh, the captain of the Indian men's hockey team, alongside other distinguished athletes such as Manu Bhaker, Gukesh D, and Praveen Kumar. Additionally, 24 athletes have been nominated for the Arjuna Awards, including Aarti Pal, a yogasana athlete, marking her as the first nominee in this category. Other nominees include rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and the top-ranked women's badminton duo of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. Notably, no cricketers received nominations this year, although Mohammed Shami was honored with the Arjuna Award in 2023.
Upcoming Award Announcements
The nominations for the Dronacharya Award and the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award are anticipated to be revealed soon.
National Sports Awards 2025 - Nomination Overview
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award:
Hardik Singh (hockey)
Arjuna Award:
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 Pal (yogasana), Treesa Jolly (badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (badminton), Lalremsiami (hockey), Mohammed Afsal (athletics), Pooja (kabaddi).
Dronacharya Award:
TBD
Dhyan Chand Lifetime Award:
TBD.