TOISA 2025: Para badminton nominees set for honours

The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s top athletes across various sports.TOISA 2025 will honour performances from January 1 to December 31, 2025, recognising standout moments from global championships and international tournaments.More than 45 categories will acknowledge both sporting icons and emerging talents who brought pride to the country. Winners will be chosen by a distinguished jury of sporting legends, including Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Devendra Jhajharia, Sharath Kamal, and Leander Paes, ensuring credible recognition of excellence in Indian sport.

Here are the Para Badminton players nominated for TOISA 2025:

Para Badminton (male)

Name: Pramod BhagatDate of Birth: 4 June 1988Place of Birth: Hajipur, Vaishali, Bihar, IndiaSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• China Para Badminton International 2025: Gold medal in Men’s Singles SL3• China Para Badminton International 2025: Silver medal in Men’s Doubles SL3–SU5 (with Sukant Kadam)• Abia Para Badminton International 2025: Three gold medals (Men’s Singles SL3, Men’s Doubles SL3–SU5 with Sukant Kadam, Mixed Doubles SL3–SU5)• Japan Para Badminton International 2025: Multiple golds (Singles, Doubles, Mixed Doubles)In 2025, Pramod Bhagat made a strong return to international para-badminton competition.

At the China Para Badminton International, he won gold in the men’s singles SL3 category and silver in the men’s doubles SL3–SU5 with partner Sukant Kadam. Later in the season at the Abia Para Badminton International in Nigeria, Bhagat claimed three gold medals — in singles, men’s doubles with Sukant Kadam, and mixed doubles with Arati Patil — showcasing his all-round strength across events.

He continued his successful run at the Japan Para Badminton International with a clean sweep of golds in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, underlining his position as India’s top para shuttler in 2025.Name: Sukant KadamDate of Birth: Not publicly availablePlace of Birth: Not publicly availableSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• China Para Badminton International 2025: Silver medal in Men’s Singles SL4• China Para Badminton International 2025: Silver medal in Men’s Doubles SL3–SU5 (with Pramod Bhagat)• Abia Para Badminton International 2025: Gold medal in Men’s Doubles SL3–SL4 (with Pramod Bhagat)• Japan Para Badminton International 2025: Gold medal in Men’s Doubles SL3–SL4; silver in Singles SL4In 2025, Sukant Kadam delivered notable podium finishes on the international para-badminton circuit.

At the China Para Badminton International, he reached the finals in men’s singles SL4 to win silver and also won silver in men’s doubles SL3–SU5 with Pramod Bhagat. At the Abia Para Badminton International, Kadam and Bhagat clinched gold in men’s doubles SL3–SL4. His strong form continued at the Japan Para Badminton International, where he again won gold with Bhagat in men’s doubles and added a silver in the singles SL4 event, demonstrating competitiveness across both singles and doubles throughout the season.Name: Krishna NagarDate of Birth: Not publicly availablePlace of Birth: Not publicly availableSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• China Para Badminton International 2025: Silver medal in Men’s Singles SH6• Japan Para Badminton International 2025: Two gold medals (Men’s Singles SH6; Mixed Doubles SH6)• Polytron Indonesia Para Badminton International 2025: Bronze medal in Men’s Singles SH6; silver in Mixed Doubles SH6In 2025, Krishna Nagar continued to be a key performer for India in para-badminton.

At the China Para Badminton International, he won silver in the men’s singles SH6 category. He then succeeded at the Japan Para Badminton International with two gold medals — in men’s singles SH6 and in mixed doubles SH6 — highlighting his strong showing on the international stage. At the Polytron Indonesia Para Badminton International, he secured a bronze medal in men’s singles SH6 and added a silver in mixed doubles SH6, contributing consistently to India’s medal tally across multiple global events.

Para Badminton (female)

Name: Mandeep KaurDate of Birth: 18 September 1995Place of Birth: Not publicly availableSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Silver medal in Women’s Singles SL3Mandeep Kaur won the silver medal in the women’s singles SL3 event at the 2025 Asian Para Badminton Championships held in Thailand. Her podium finish was part of India’s record medal haul at the continental event, where the Indian para-shuttlers secured a best-ever tally of 27 medals, including multiple silvers and bronzes across categories.Name: Manasi JoshiDate of Birth: 11 June 1989Place of Birth: Rajkot, Gujarat, IndiaSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Bronze medal in Women’s Singles SL3• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Silver medal in Women’s Doubles SL3-SU5At the 2025 Asian Para Badminton Championships in Thailand, Manasi Joshi added to her medal tally by winning the bronze in the women’s singles SL3 event.

She also secured a silver medal in the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 category, contributing to India’s best-ever performance at the championships with a total of 27 medals.Name: Nithya SreDate of Birth: 7 January 2005Place of Birth: Karur, Tamil Nadu, IndiaSport: Para BadmintonMajor Achievements in 2025:• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Silver medal in Women’s Singles SH6• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Silver medal in Women’s Doubles SH6• Asian Para Badminton Championships: Silver medal in Mixed Doubles SH6Nithya Sre Sivan had a notable season in 2025 at the Asian Para Badminton Championships in Thailand, where she won three silver medals: in women’s singles SH6, women’s doubles SH6 and mixed doubles SH6. Her performances were part of India’s record medal tally at the event, as Indian para-shuttlers finished with 27 medals across categories.