For the first time in a decade, no athlete has been recommended for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour. The selection panel met in New Delhi and picked 24 names for the Arjuna Awards, but left the top prize empty, sending ripples through the sports world.
No Khel Ratna Award In 2025: Has It Happened Before?
This marks only the third time since the award started in 1991-92 that no one gets the Khel Ratna; previous blanks came in 2008 and 2014. The honour, once called Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna until 2021, comes with Rs 25 lakh, a medallion, and a citation. Names like compound archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam, cricket stars Harmanpreet Kaur, and Smriti Mandhana sparked debates, but the committee passed on them for specific reasons.
Jyothi, a world champion and Asia No.1, missed out again because compound archery wasn’t Olympic until Paris 2024, though it joins LA 2028. For the cricketers, no clear points system exists, and the BCCI sent zero nominations; the last cricketer to win was Mohammed Shami in 2023.
Arjuna Award Recommendations
The panel didn’t hold back on the Arjuna Awards, recommending a strong list of 24 achievers. Chess shines bright with prodigy Divya Deshmukh, the first Indian woman to claim the FIDE Women’s World Cup this year, and Vidit Gujrathi. Decathlete Tejaswin Shankar grabs a spot after his Asian Games 2023 silver, while yogasana athlete Aarti Pal makes history as the first from her sport, recognised by the ministry five years ago.
Badminton duo Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand earn nods for their teamwork, alongside shooters like Akhil Sheoran and Mehuli Ghosh.
Other standouts include athletics stars Tejaswin Shankar, Priyanka, and Mohammed Afsal; boxers like Narender; gymnast Pranati Nayak; hockey players Rajkumar Pal and Lalremsiami; kabaddi ace Pooja; wrestlers Sonam Malik; and para-athletes like Rudransh Khandelwal and Ekta Bhyan.
Full list: 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 (TT), Sonam Malik (Wrestling), Aarti (Yoga), Treesa Jolly & Gayatri Gopichand (Badminton), Lalremsiami (Hockey), Mohammed Afsal (Athletics), Pooja (Kabaddi).
What Happens Next
These recommendations now head to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for final approval. The empty Khel Ratna slot raises questions: Did standards rise too high, or did timing play a role? It spotlights emerging talents like Divya and Tejaswin, proving depth in Indian sports even without a top award. As recommendations finalise, eyes stay glued. Could this spark more hunger for glory in 2026?
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