On November 13, President Droupadi Murmu awarded the Arjuna Award, 2025, to four exceptional athletes, including kabaddi stars Pooja and Surjeet, and hockey players Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal. This recognition highlights their remarkable achievements in their respective sports. The National Sports Awards aim to honor excellence in athletics, with a selection committee recommending awardees based on their contributions. The event also acknowledged several other athletes across various disciplines, emphasizing the importance of sports in the nation. Discover more about the awardees and their accomplishments in this comprehensive overview.

Recognition of Athletes by President Droupadi Murmu

On November 13, President Droupadi Murmu awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award, 2025, to four distinguished athletes, including kabaddi players Pooja and Surjeet, along with hockey players Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal, acknowledging their remarkable accomplishments in their respective sports.

Celebrating Kabaddi Achievements

Pooja was recognized for her impressive performances in kabaddi, having secured medals at both the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Sixth Asian Kabaddi Championship. Similarly, Surjeet received the Arjuna Award, 2025, for his notable achievements in kabaddi, including medals from the Hangzhou Asian Games and the Busan Asian Kabaddi Championship.

Honoring Hockey Excellence

In the realm of hockey, Lalremsiami was awarded the Arjuna Award for her significant contributions to India's success in major international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and Asian Champions Trophy. Rajkumar Pal also received the Arjuna Award, 2025, for his exceptional achievements, including medals at the Paris Olympics and the Hulunbuir Asian Champions Trophy.

Overview of National Sports Awards

The National Sports Awards are presented annually to honor excellence in sports. The awards are conferred based on the recommendations of a Selection Committee led by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, a former Supreme Court Judge. This year, several athletes, coaches, and organizations were recognized across various categories.

List of Awardees

The following athletes were honored: 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).

Lifetime Achievement Recognition

The Arjuna Awards (Lifetime) for exceptional contributions to sports are awarded to athletes who have made significant impacts through their performances and continue to promote sports post-retirement. Former Indian footballer and coach Arumainayagam was also honored with the Arjuna Award (lifetime).