How delaying mush is delaying too much? Athletes remained waiting for national sports awards, and the ministry did not provide any explanation

More than six months after the selection committee made its recommendations, the National Sports Awards for 2025-26 have not been announced, leading to growing frustration among athletes and previous award winners.The Sports Ministry attributed the delay to “a re-evaluation of the names selected for the Arjuna Awards.” According to ministry sources reported by news agency PTI, the process is procedural and aims to preserve the integrity of the awards.However, many athletes and former award recipients believe that the long wait affects morale.“It is unfortunate that no announcement has been made yet. It is frustrating for the athletes, especially since unofficially most people know whether they have been shortlisted or not,” former Olympic medalist Khel Ratna told PTI.Traditionally, the National Sports Awards ceremony is held on August 29, National Sports Day, which marks the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when the awards were presented virtually, the date has been no longer fixed.In recent years, the ceremony has often been postponed to accommodate performances at the Olympic Games and other multi-sporting events.

The last edition was held on January 17 last year.Recommendations for the 2025-2026 awards were finalized in December 2025. Under current criteria, the Sports Ministry is expected to officially announce the names within a week, with only minor changes if necessary.More than six months later, no announcement has been made yet. The delay also raised concerns due to the approaching nomination process for the next edition.“These awards should always follow a fixed schedule. Whatever evaluation needs to be done, it can be done but not by withholding names like these. I am sure most of those selected deserve to be honoured,” the former Khel Ratna award winner said, as quoted by PTI.An Arjuna awardee and Commonwealth Games gold medalist also questioned the delay. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said that if August 29 was no longer appropriate, the authorities should choose another fixed date for the celebration.“First the date kept changing for various reasons and now the whole process has stopped, and this is not the fault of the athletes at all. The ministry needs to at least give some clarification because these honors are like an annual festival for the athletes. Getting the jacket fittings, rehearsing the whole protocol, and finally that moment with the president, is a major event for the athletes,” he said.Concerns are not limited to previous winners. After the ministry announced the re-evaluation, Asian Championships gold medalist Tejaswin Shankar, who was recommended for the Arjuna Award, publicly criticized the delay.“This delay not only demotivates athletes and coaches, but is also a sign of disrespect,” he posted on X in April.This year’s Arjuna Award nominees include World Cup-winning chess player Divya Deshmukh and gymnast Pranati Nayak.According to a PTI report, men’s hockey player Hardik Singh is the only recommendation for the Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour, which carries a medal, a citation and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh.More than 20 athletes have been recommended for the Arjuna Award, which has a cash value of Rs 15 lakh. The list includes athletes from disciplines such as chess and yogasana, who could gain representation for the first time if recommendations remain unchanged.The Ministry of Sports did not issue an official explanation for the delay. However, officials privately said there were concerns about whether some of the recommended candidates met the achievement criteria required for the Arjuna Award.