The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced the Arjuna Awards and Dronacharya Awards for the year 2025. A total of 17 players, including chess players Vidit Gujarati and Divya Deshmukh, Kabaddi players Pooja and Surjit and shooter Akhil Sheoran, have been announced to be honored with the Arjuna Award. Football I Aruminayagam will be honored with the Arjuna Award (Lifetime) and a total of 3 coaches will be honored with the Dronacharya Award. Two coaches will be honored with the Dronacharya Award in the lifetime category. This time no player has been honored with the Khel Ratna Award.
Like 2024, Arjuna Award is not being given to any cricket player in 2025 also. This time, Arjuna Award will be given to 3 players of athletics, 2 of badminton, 2 of chess, 2 of hockey, 2 of Kabaddi, one player each of boxing, sailing, para shooting, para athletics and deaf shooting and shooting. Indian footballer I Aruminayagam will be honored with the Arjuna Award (Lifetime).
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Dronacharya Award to 3 people
This time a total of three sports coaches will be honored with the Dronacharya Award. These include the names of athletics coach Parveer Singh, boxing coach Chhotalal Yadav and shooting coach Neha Chavan. Boxing coach Dharmendra Singh Yadav and wrestling coach Virender Kumar will be honored in the lifetime category.
All India Chess Federation President Nitin Narang has also congratulated the chess players on receiving the Arjuna Award. He wrote on his X handle, 'Congratulations to Divya Deshmukh and Vidit Gujarati on receiving the prestigious Arjuna Award. His brilliant performance, dedication and contribution towards Indian chess has made the country proud.
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Thanking the Prime Minister and the Sports Minister, he has written, 'Heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji for always encouraging India's sports champions. We are grateful to Honorable Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya ji for his continued support to Indian sports and our Chess Champions. Salute to their (players) parents for making so many sacrifices. Also, a big thank you to the Indian chess fans for cheering on our players every day.
Let us tell you that this time a total of 23 players will be honored including Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award.