New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the National Sports Awards for 2025, with high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, chess grandmasters Vidit Gujarathi and Divya Deshmukh, alongside badminton pair Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly, amongst those named for the prestigious Arjuna Award.

The annual honours are conferred to celebrate and reward excellence in sport. Following recommendations from a selection committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd) Arun Kumar Mishra, the government confirmed the recipients across various categories, according to a ministry press release.

The 'Arjuna Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games' honours consistent achievements over the preceding four-year period alongside qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.

The athletes selected for the Arjuna Award 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).

The Arjuna Award (Lifetime) for outstanding contribution recognises individuals who have excelled during their playing careers and sustained efforts toward sports promotion following retirement. Former Indian international footballer and coach Arumainayagam will receive this lifetime honour.

The Dronacharya Award recognises coaches for sustained merit and for enabling athletes to excel at the international level.

Parveer Singh (athletics), Chhote Lal Yadav (boxing), and Neha Nandkumar Chavan (shooting) were named recipients in the regular category, whilst Dharmendra Singh Yadav (boxing) and Virender Kumar (wrestling) will receive the lifetime recognition.

Additionally, the 'Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar' is presented to corporate bodies across public and private sectors, as well as non-governmental organisations, for notable contributions toward sports development and promotion. The Army Paralympic Node in Pune was selected to receive the award.

Nominations for the awards were submitted online through a designated portal, which allowed direct self-applications from athletes, coaches, and organisations.

A substantial volume of submissions was received this year, which were subsequently evaluated by Justice (Retd) Mishra's selection committee, comprising prominent former athletes, sports journalists, and experienced administrators.