Two-time Olympic medallist and Indian men’s hockey team vice-captain Hardik Singh has been nominated for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour. The nominations for the National Sports Awards 2025 were finalised on 24 December 2025 by a selection panel comprising IOA vice-president Gagan Narang, former hockey player MM Somaya, and former badminton player Aparna Popat.
Hardik Singh was an integral member of the Indian team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and followed it up with another Olympic medal at Paris 2024, making him a two-time Olympic medallist.
The panel also recommended 24 athletes for the Arjuna Award, including yogasana athlete Aarti Pal. Other notable nominees include rifle shooter Mehuli Ghosh, gymnast Pranati Nayak, and the women’s badminton pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand. The awards are conferred annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and presented by the President of India.
