TOISA 2025 Billiards/Snooker Player of the Year Nominees: Celebrating India’s top cue masters

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the inspiring journeys and achievements of India’s finest athletes across multiple disciplines.

TOISA 2025 will recognise performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, highlighting standout displays at global championships and major international competitions. Featuring more than 45 award categories, the event honours both established stars and emerging talents who made the nation proud through exceptional performances.The winners will be selected by a distinguished jury comprising some of India’s most respected sporting icons, including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, batting great Mithali Raj, Paralympic champion Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis legend Leander Paes.

Their collective expertise ensures a credible and balanced evaluation of excellence across Indian sport.The TOISA 2025 Billiards/Snooker Player of the Year nominees highlight India’s elite cue sports athletes who dominated on national and international stages. Pankaj Advani continued to reinforce his legendary status by winning the CCI Billiards Classic 2025 for the third consecutive time, claiming the 2025 Asian Snooker Championship in Doha, and securing his 36th national title at the Indian Snooker Championship, marking his 10th men’s snooker crown.

Aditya Mehta demonstrated his enduring class by winning the All India Open Snooker Championship, advancing to the knockouts at the World Cup of Snooker 2025 with a top-group finish over former world champion Muhammad Asif, and reaching the knockout stages at the IBSF World 6-Red Snooker Championships. Veteran Brijesh Damani added to his decorated career with a silver at the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship and a gold at the Asian Men’s Team Snooker Championship, showcasing tactical mastery, consistency, and resilience across all major events.Pankaj AdvaniDate of Birth: July 24, 1985Place of Birth: Pune, MaharashtraMajor Achievements in 2025Winner – CCI Billiards Classic 2025, Mumbai (third consecutive title)Winner – 2025 Asian Snooker Championship (defeated Amir Sarkhosh in final)Winner – Indian Snooker Championship 2025 (36th national title & 10th men’s snooker crown)Pankaj Advani is widely regarded as India’s greatest cue sports athlete, dominating both billiards and snooker for over two decades.

In 2025, Advani continued his remarkable run of form, reaffirming his legendary status with multiple major victories across disciplines.He began the year by clinching the CCI Billiards Classic 2025 title in Mumbai — his third consecutive win at the prestigious event — showcasing his control and tactical mastery on the table. Advani also excelled on the snooker circuit, capturing the 2025 Asian Snooker Championship in Doha with a convincing win in the final, adding yet another continental crown to his extensive resume.

Domestically, he won the Indian Snooker Championship 2025, marking his 36th national title and 10th men’s snooker crown, underlining his enduring excellence.Aditya MehtaDate of Birth: 31 October 1985Place of Birth: Mumbai, MaharashtraMajor Achievements in 2025:Winner - All India Open Snooker Championship 2025Advanced to knockouts at the World Cup of Snooker 2025 in MuscatHe topped his group with a win over former World Champion Muhammad AsifReached knockouts stage at the IBSF World 6-Red Snooker ChampionshipsAditya Mehta is one of India’s most experienced and respected cue sports players, known for his longevity in competitive snooker and a career that spans over a decade at elite levels .

In 2025, Mehta continued to showcase his enduring competitive edge across both national and international events. He began the year with a commanding performance at the All India Open Snooker Championship 2025, where he dominated the final with decisive breaks to claim the title and reaffirm his status at the top of Indian snooker .At the World Cup of Snooker 2025 in Muscat, Mehta outplayed former world champions, topping his group and advancing to the knockout stages in strong form .

He also made a deep run to the knockouts at the IBSF World 6-Red Snooker Championships in Bahrain, displaying his ability to compete consistently in shorter formats against a global field .Brijesh DamaniDate of Birth: November 22, 1982Place of Birth: Kolkata, West BengalMajor Achievements in 2025:Silver — IBSF World Masters Snooker ChampionshipGold — Asian Men’s Team Snooker ChampionshipBrijesh Damani is a veteran Indian snooker player known for his tactical cue work and longevity in national and international competition.

In 2025, Damani delivered notable performances that added to his distinguished career. At the IBSF World Masters Snooker Championship in Manama, Bahrain, he produced a brilliant run to the final, eventually earning the silver medal after a hard-fought 4-3 loss to Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif, showcasing resilience and high-level shot-making under pressure .Damani also played a key role in India’s success at the Asian Men’s Team Snooker Championship in Colombo, helping secure team gold alongside teammates like Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, reinforcing his value as a team competitor on the continental stage.