Divya Deshmukh and Tejaswin Shankar (Img: Pinterest)
New Delhi: In a surprising development, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2025, India’s highest sporting honour, has been left vacant this year. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the list of National Sports Awards 2025 on Tuesday, naming 17 athletes for the Arjuna Award, but no sportsperson was selected for the country’s top sports award.
The awards were finalised based on the recommendations of a selection committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice (Retd.) Arun Kumar Mishra.
The decision to not confer the Khel Ratna Award has created a major buzz in the Indian sporting community. The last time the prestigious award was not given to any athlete was in 2014.
According to reports, hockey star Hardik Singh was among the names considered for the honour, but his name was not included in the final list.
The announcement also came after an unusually long delay. The National Sports Awards, which are generally declared earlier, were announced after the Ministry carried out a detailed review process to ensure that only the most deserving athletes were selected.
Chess sensation Divya Deshmukh is among the biggest names in this year’s Arjuna Award list.
The 19-year-old created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win the Chess World Cup in Batumi, Georgia. With this achievement, she also became the fourth female chess Grandmaster from India.
Her remarkable performances over the last few years earned her a place among the country’s top sporting achievers.
Indian athlete Tejaswin Shankar has also been selected for the Arjuna Award.
Shankar recently achieved a historic milestone by winning a bronze medal in decathlon at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He became the first Indian athlete to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon event.
His consistent performances in athletics made him one of the standout names in this year’s awards list.
The government also announced the Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement for veteran footballer I Arumainayagam.
Arumainayagam was part of India’s gold medal-winning football team at the 1962 Asian Games.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports also announced the recipients of the Dronacharya Award 2025, which is given to coaches for their exceptional contribution towards the development of Indian sports and nurturing talented athletes.
The award recognises coaches who have played a crucial role in improving athletes’ performances and contributing to India’s success at national and international sporting events.
For the second consecutive year, no cricketer has been included in the Arjuna Award list. The last cricketer to receive the honour was Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami in 2023.
