Hardik Singh only Khel Ratna nominee; 24 athletes recommended for Arjuna

India men’s hockey vice-captain Hardik Singh stood out as the only recommendation for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour, as the national sports awards selection committee on Wednesday finalised names for this year’s honours. Teenage chess sensation Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, shooter Mehuli Ghosh and 21 other athletes were recommended for the Arjuna Awards.

The 27-year-old Hardik has been a pillar of India’s midfield in recent years, playing a key role in the team’s medal-winning campaigns at the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He was also part of India’s Asia Cup gold-winning squad this year, underlining his consistency and leadership at the highest level.

In a notable first, Yogasan athlete Aarti Pal has been recommended for the Arjuna Award, five years after the discipline received formal recognition from the Sports Ministry. Aarti is the reigning national and Asian champion in Yogasan, which is set to be a demonstration sport at the 2026 Asian Games.

The awards selection panel, which includes IOA vice-president Gagan Narang, former shuttler Aparna Popat and ex-hockey player M M Somaya, finalised a total of 24 Arjuna awardees after deliberations in the capital.

Among the standout names is 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh, who recently became the first Indian woman to win the Chess World Cup. She is joined by fellow grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi. Athletics star Tejaswin Shankar, who won a historic silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games and followed it up with another silver at the Asian Championships earlier this year, also features prominently.

The Arjuna list also includes rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, a two-time World Championship bronze medallist, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and India’s top women’s badminton doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. Gayatri is the daughter of national coach and former All England champion Pullela Gopichand.

Notably, no cricketer figures in this year’s recommendations. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who received the honour in 2023, remains the most recent cricketer to be conferred an Arjuna Award.

The Khel Ratna carries a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, while Arjuna awardees receive Rs 15 lakh each. Last year, the Khel Ratna was awarded to D Gukesh, Harmanpreet Singh, Praveen Kumar and Manu Bhaker.

National Sports Awards 2025 Recommendations

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna:

Hardik Singh (Hockey)

Arjuna Awards:

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 (Yoga), Treesa Jolly (Badminton), Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi).