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Arjuna Awards (Img: SAI)
New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has defended its decision to reduce the list of Arjuna Award recipients, stating that national sports honours cannot be awarded solely on the basis of reputation. The ministry said only athletes who meet the required standards and deserve recognition should receive the prestigious award.
The statement came after the final list of national sports awardees was announced, with only 17 athletes selected out of the 24 names recommended by the selection committee.
A senior Sports Ministry official said that while it is generally considered a convention to accept the recommendations of the selection panel, the government has the authority to review and make the final decision.
The official said the ministry wanted to maintain the credibility and importance of the awards, adding that Arjuna Awards should not be given merely because of an athlete’s past reputation.
The selection committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra, had submitted its recommendations several months ago. However, after a detailed evaluation, the ministry removed seven names from the final list.
In another significant development, no athlete was selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour, for 2025.
This marks the first time since 2014 that the country’s top sports award will not be presented to any athlete.
The athletes selected for the Arjuna Award include badminton players Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand, athletes Tejaswin Shankar and Muhammed Ajmal, boxer Narender Berwal, and chess players Vidit Gujarathi and Divya Deshmukh.
Other awardees include gymnast Pranati Nayak, shooter Mehuli Ghosh, wrestler Sonam Malik, table tennis player Sutirtha Mukherjee, and kho kho player Nirmala Bhati.
The Sports Ministry said its decision was aimed at protecting the prestige of national sports awards. Officials maintained that these honours should recognise current achievements, consistent performance and genuine contribution to Indian sports.
The move, however, has triggered discussions within the sporting community, with questions being raised over the process of reviewing names recommended by an independent selection committee.
