Why National Sports Awards Is Delayed? Indian Athletes Left Frustrated As Ministry Reasons 'Re-Evaluation'

Last Updated:June 10, 2026, 14:34 IST

India’s National Sports Awards face unprecedented delay as Sports Ministry re-evaluates Arjuna award names, leaving athletes frustrated and demanding transparency and a fixed date

There is simmering disquiet in India’s sporting circles these days, and at the heart of it is an unprecedented delay.

The annual celebration of India’s sporting excellence, the National Sports Awards, is yet to be announced even though the selection committee submitted its recommendations six months ago.

The Sports Ministry, whose seal of approval converts recommended names into award winners, has attributed the situation to a “re-evaluation of names picked for the Arjuna awards".

According to well-placed Ministry sources, the prolonged wait is a procedural matter and necessary to “preserve the integrity of the awards".

Atheltes Not Happy

However, that explanation offers little consolation to the athletes.

“It is unfortunate that no announcement has come so far. It is de-motivating for the athletes, especially because unofficially most people come to know whether they have been shortlisted or not," lamented an Olympic medal-winning former Khel Ratna awardee was quoted as saying by PTI.

The date of the ceremony, held at the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, has not been fixed for quite some time now.

It was traditionally scheduled for August 29 to commemorate National Sports Day, which is also the birth anniversary of one of India’s greatest sportspersons — hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the ceremony was conducted virtually due to health protocols, the date has no longer been locked.

More than once, it has been pushed a couple of months beyond August 29 to accommodate performances at the Olympic Games and other multi-sport events. The latest it was held was last year on January 17.

It is now well over a year since the last ceremony, and the recommendations for the 2025-26 honours were made in December 2025. As per existing norms, they were to be formally announced by the Sports Ministry within a week of finalisation, with minor tweaks if needed.

Weeks have turned into months, but there is still no word on when the announcement will be made. Adding to the “frustration" is the fact that the nomination process for the next edition is also not too far away on the calendar.

“These awards should always follow a set schedule. Whatever evaluation needs to be done can be done, but not by withholding names like this. I am sure most of those who have been selected are worthy of the honours," said the former Khel Ratna winner.

The view was echoed by a former Arjuna awardee and Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

Also speaking on condition of anonymity, he said the date should never have been altered and that if the idea was to make August 29 solely about Major Dhyan Chand’s legacy, then a new fixed date should have been allotted for the awards.

“At first the date kept moving for different reasons and now the entire process stands halted, which is not the athletes’ fault at all. The ministry needs to at least give some explanation because these honours are like an annual festival for sportspersons. Getting those blazer fittings, the dress rehearsal of the entire protocol and finally that moment with the President, it’s a major highlight for athletes," he said.

“There are emotions attached to these awards and it is just not fair that there is no word on what kind of scrutiny is being carried out. There has to be some transparency. If you don’t want to have the ceremony on August 29, it’s fine, but have a fixed date which becomes a tradition eventually," he added.

It is not just former awardees who are uneasy with the inordinate delay.

After the Ministry’s announcement of re-evaluation, Asian Championship gold-winning decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, who has been recommended for the Arjuna award, voiced his displeasure without mincing words.

“This delay is not just de-motivating to athletes and coaches but also a sign of disrespect," he posted on X.

World Cup-winning chess player Divya Deshmukh and gymnast Pranati Nayak are among this year’s Arjuna award recommendations.

The Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour, carries a medallion, a citation and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, and according to sources, men’s hockey team star Hardik Singh is the only recommendation for 2025-26.

The Arjuna recommendations exceed 20 and cover diverse disciplines, including chess and the indigenous Yogasana, which would be recognised for the first time if the list remains unchanged. The Arjuna award carries a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.

The Ministry has avoided issuing a formal statement on what exactly has delayed the process, but speaking off the record, top officials have cited concerns over whether a few recommended names have the requisite achievements for the honour.

“It shouldn’t be the case that we have Arjuna awardees in every nook and corner but when you ask them about their accomplishments, there is nothing much to show. Please also don’t forget the litigations and outrageous media statements that come out when some don’t get awards," an official stated.

(With inputs from Agencies)

About the Author

Ritayan Basu

Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for over a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes cricket conten...Read More

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