National Sports Awards 2025 List: Quick Answer
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2025 on 18 August 2026. No sportsperson was chosen for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, 17 sportspersons were named for the Arjuna Award, 3 coaches for the Dronacharya Award (regular) and 2 for the Dronacharya Award (lifetime). Footballer I. Arumainayagam received the Arjuna Award (Lifetime), and the Army Paralympic Node, Pune received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
Key takeaway: 2025 is the first year since 2014 with no Khel Ratna. Arjuna 2025 = 17 names (Tejaswin Shankar, Divya Deshmukh, Vidit Gujarathi, Treesa Jolly, Gayatri Gopichand, Lalremsiami...). Dronacharya (regular) = Parveer Singh (athletics), Chhote Lal Yadav (boxing), Neha Nandkumar Chavan (shooting). Selection committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, former Supreme Court judge.
All names below are copied from the official PIB release of 18 August 2026 (Release ID 2300762) and were checked again on 23 October 2026.
National Sports Awards 2025 at a Glance
| Award | 2025 awardees |
|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | None (no sportsperson selected) |
| Arjuna Award (outstanding performance) | 17 sportspersons |
| Arjuna Award (Lifetime) | 1: I. Arumainayagam (football) |
| Dronacharya Award (regular category) | 3 coaches |
| Dronacharya Award (lifetime category) | 2 coaches |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | Army Paralympic Node, Pune |
| Announced by | Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, 18 August 2026 |
| Selection committee chair | Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, former Judge of the Supreme Court |
Arjuna Award 2025 List (17 Sportspersons)
| No. | Sportsperson | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tejaswin Shankar | Athletics |
| 2 | Muhammed Ajmal V | Athletics |
| 3 | Priyanka Goswami | Athletics |
| 4 | Treesa Jolly | Badminton |
| 5 | Pullela Gayatri Gopichand | Badminton |
| 6 | Narender | Boxing |
| 7 | Vidit Santosh Gujarathi | Chess |
| 8 | Divya Jitendra Deshmukh | Chess |
| 9 | Dhanush Srikanth | Deaf shooting |
| 10 | Lalremsiami | Hockey |
| 11 | Rajkumar Pal | Hockey |
| 12 | Surjeet | Kabaddi |
| 13 | Pooja | Kabaddi |
| 14 | Rudransh Khandelwal | Para-shooting |
| 15 | Ekta Bhyan | Para athletics |
| 16 | Arvind Singh | Rowing |
| 17 | Akhil Sheoran | Shooting |
Sport-wise count: athletics 3; badminton, chess, hockey and kabaddi 2 each; boxing, deaf shooting, para-shooting, para athletics, rowing and shooting 1 each = 17.
The Arjuna Award is given for good performance over the previous four years, together with leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline (PIB).
Arjuna Award (Lifetime) 2025
| Sportsperson | Discipline |
|---|---|
| I. Arumainayagam | Football |
The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) honours sportspersons who contributed through their performance and keep promoting sport after retiring from active competition.
Dronacharya Award 2025 List (Coaches)
| Category | Coach | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | Parveer Singh | Athletics |
| Regular | Chhote Lal Yadav | Boxing |
| Regular | Neha Nandkumar Chavan | Shooting |
| Lifetime | Dharmendra Singh Yadav | Boxing |
| Lifetime | Virender Kumar | Wrestling |
Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025
| Entity |
|---|
| Army Paralympic Node, Pune |
This award goes to a corporate entity (public or private) or NGO that has played a visible role in promoting and developing sport.
Why There Is No Khel Ratna Award 2025
No sportsperson was selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour, for 2025. It is the first time since 2014 that the Khel Ratna has not been given. For comparison, the Khel Ratna 2024 went to four athletes: Manu Bhaker (shooting), Harmanpreet Singh (hockey), D. Gukesh (chess) and Praveen Kumar (para athletics).
National Sports Awards 2025: Links to 2026 Events
- Tejaswin Shankar won India's first Commonwealth Games decathlon medal (bronze) at Glasgow 2026 and a decathlon bronze at the Asian Games 2026.
- Narender (Berwal) won the men's +90kg boxing silver at CWG 2026 and bronze at the Asian Games 2026.
- Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujarathi are the two chess names on the list.
See the full lists in our Commonwealth Games 2026 India medal list and Asian Games 2026 India medal tally.
National Sports Awards: Static GK for Exams
| Award | Given for | Named after |
|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna | Most outstanding performance by a sportsperson over four years | Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand |
| Arjuna Award | Good performance over four years, plus leadership and sportsmanship | Arjuna, the archer of the Mahabharata |
| Dronacharya Award | Outstanding coaches who help athletes excel internationally | Dronacharya, the teacher in the Mahabharata |
| Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar | Organisations promoting sport | (organisational award) |
National Sports Day is observed on 29 August, the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand. The Khel Ratna was renamed after Major Dhyan Chand in 2021 (it was earlier the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna).
National Sports Awards 2025 MCQs (Practice Set)
Q1. How many sportspersons received the Arjuna Award 2025? (a) 26 (b) 32 (c) 17 (d) 20 Answer: (c). 17.
Q2. Who received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna 2025? (a) Neeraj Chopra (b) D. Gukesh (c) Manu Bhaker (d) No one Answer: (d). No sportsperson was selected for 2025.
Q3. Which coach received the Dronacharya Award 2025 (regular) for shooting? (a) Jaspal Rana (b) Neha Nandkumar Chavan (c) Suma Shirur (d) Deepali Deshpande Answer: (b). Neha Nandkumar Chavan.
Q4. The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) 2025 was given to I. Arumainayagam for: (a) Hockey (b) Athletics (c) Football (d) Boxing Answer: (c). Football.
Q5. Which organisation received the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025? (a) Reliance Foundation (b) Army Paralympic Node, Pune (c) Odisha Mining Corporation (d) JSW Sports Answer: (b). Army Paralympic Node, Pune.
Q6. Who chaired the selection committee for the National Sports Awards 2025? (a) Justice (Retd.) A.M. Khanwilkar (b) Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra (c) Justice (Retd.) U.U. Lalit (d) Justice (Retd.) Ranjana Desai Answer: (b). Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra.
Q7. Which two chess players are on the Arjuna Award 2025 list? (a) Gukesh D and Praggnanandhaa (b) Vidit Gujarathi and Divya Deshmukh (c) Arjun Erigaisi and Koneru Humpy (d) Harika Dronavalli and Vidit Gujarathi Answer: (b). Vidit Santosh Gujarathi and Divya Jitendra Deshmukh.
Q8. Which badminton pair received the Arjuna Award 2025? (a) Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty (b) Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand (c) Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto (d) P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal Answer: (b). Treesa Jolly and Pullela Gayatri Gopichand.
Q9. When were the National Sports Awards 2025 announced? (a) 29 August 2025 (b) 2 January 2026 (c) 18 August 2026 (d) 15 August 2026 Answer: (c). 18 August 2026.
Q10. Before 2025, the last year without a Khel Ratna awardee was: (a) 2010 (b) 2014 (c) 2018 (d) 2020 Answer: (b). 2014.
National Sports Awards 2025 FAQs
Who got the Khel Ratna Award 2025?
Nobody. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports did not select any sportsperson for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna for 2025, the first such year since 2014.
How many Arjuna Awards were given in 2025?
17 Arjuna Awards for outstanding performance, plus 1 Arjuna Award (Lifetime) to footballer I. Arumainayagam.
Who are the Dronacharya Award 2025 winners?
Regular category: Parveer Singh (athletics), Chhote Lal Yadav (boxing) and Neha Nandkumar Chavan (shooting). Lifetime category: Dharmendra Singh Yadav (boxing) and Virender Kumar (wrestling).
When were the National Sports Awards 2025 announced?
On 18 August 2026, by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports through PIB.
Who got the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar 2025?
Army Paralympic Node, Pune.
Who received the Khel Ratna in 2024?
Manu Bhaker, Harmanpreet Singh, D. Gukesh and Praveen Kumar.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: SSC CGL Current Affairs Mock Test September 2026, SSC CGL Current Affairs Mock Test October 2026, IBPS & SBI PO Current Affairs Mock Test Sept 2026.
- More awards: Awards and Honours 2026 List (Nobel, Padma, Jnanpith).
- Asian Games 2026 India Medal Tally
- Commonwealth Games 2026 India Medal List
- Daily current affairs and the daily current affairs quiz
- All lists on study notes
Sources: PIB: Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announces National Sports Awards 2025 (18 Aug 2026), Olympics.com: National Sports Awards 2025 winners list, The Hindu.