The National Sports Awards 2025 were announced on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, with 17 sportspersons named for the Arjuna Awards, the second-highest sporting honour in India. These awards are given annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to recognize outstanding achievers.
A total of 17 outstanding athletes across disciplines, including track and field, badminton, shooting, kabaddi, and para-sports, have been selected for the Arjuna Award 2025. This marks the lowest number of athletes to receive the award since 2017. Notably, the list of awardees includes two Indian chess stars: Grandmasters Vidit Gujrathi and the winner of the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025, Divya Deshmukh.
Nitin Narang, President of the All India Chess Federation, warmly congratulated Vidit and Divya in a post on X (formerly Twitter):
“Congratulations to @DivyaDeshmukh05 and @viditchess on being honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award! Their exceptional performances, determination, and contribution to Indian chess have made the nation proud… A special salute to their parents for their sacrifices and unwavering belief, and to millions of Indian chess fans whose love and encouragement inspire our players every day.”
Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)