Lalremsiami's Arjuna Award: A Beacon for Young Athletes in Mizoram
Lalremsiami's Inspirational Journey
Indian women's hockey star Lalremsiami expressed her joy upon receiving the esteemed Arjuna Award for 2025. She believes this recognition will serve as a source of inspiration for young athletes, especially those hailing from her native Mizoram. After the award ceremony on Friday, Lalremsiami shared her excitement about being the first recipient of the Arjuna Award from Mizoram, noting the warm congratulations she received from her fellow citizens.
"I am thrilled to be the first from Mizoram to receive the Arjuna Award. The people of Mizoram are celebrating this achievement, and I truly believe this honor will inspire many young players," Lalremsiami stated. She also highlighted her role in encouraging aspiring hockey players in her state, expressing her happiness when approached by parents and children eager to take up the sport.
"It brings me immense joy when I visit Mizoram and hear from parents and young players who wish to pursue hockey. Their enthusiasm motivates me, and I am committed to supporting those who aspire to play hockey as much as I can," she added. Lalremsiami dedicated her award to the youth of India, particularly those from Mizoram, urging them to dream big and strive for their goals.
"I want to dedicate this award to the younger generation, especially the youth of India and Mizoram. We never imagined receiving such a prestigious accolade as the Arjuna Award. But today, I have it, and I believe there are many talented individuals in Mizoram. This serves as a testament that with big dreams and hard work, opportunities are within reach," she concluded.
The National Sports Awards are presented annually to honor excellence in sports. The awards are conferred based on recommendations from a Selection Committee led by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, a former Supreme Court judge. The Arjuna Award recognizes outstanding performance in sports over the past four years, along with qualities such as leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline. Other awardees this year include Tejaswin Shankar (athletics), Muhammad Ajmal Variyathodi (athletics), Priyanka Goswami (athletics), Treesa Jolly (badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (badminton), Narender (boxing), Vidit Santosh Gujarathi (chess), Divya Jitendra Deshmukh (chess), Dhanush Srikanth (deaf shooting), Lalremsiami (hockey), Rajkumar Pal (hockey), Surjeet (kabaddi), Pooja (kabaddi), Rudransh Khandelwal (para-shooting), Ekta Bhyan (para-shooting), Arvind Singh (rowing), and Akhil Sheoran (shooting).