Why National Sports Awards Is Delayed? Indian Athletes Left Frustrated As Ministry Reasons 'Re-Evaluation'
Why Sports Awards Is Delayed? Indian Athletes Left Frustrated As Ministry Reasons 'Re-Evaluation' Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 14:34 IST India’s Sports Awards
Why Sports Awards Is Delayed? Indian Athletes Left Frustrated As Ministry Reasons 'Re-Evaluation' Published By, Last Updated: June 10, 2026, 14:34 IST India’s Sports Awards face unprecedented delay as Sports Ministry re-evaluates Arjuna award names, leaving athletes frustrated and demanding transparency and a fixed date Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. (Picture Credit: X/@mansukhmandviya) 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 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 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.
The BriefWire