Chess World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh, decathlete Tejaswin Shankar and badminton player Gayatri Gopichand are among 17 sportspersons named for the Arjuna Award. The Sports Ministry did not nominate anyone for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year
Published Date – 18 August 2026, 01:31 PM
New Delhi: World Cup winning chess player Divya Deshmukh, decathlete and high jumper Tejaswin Shankar and shuttler Gayatri Gopichand were among the 17 sportspersons named for the prestigious Arjuna Award on Tuesday.
The Sports Ministry, however, did not name any athlete for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award this year.
Also on the Arjuna Award nomination list are Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, Gayatri Gopichand’s women’s doubles partner Treesa Jolly, Glasgow Commonwealth Games silver-medallist boxer Narender, and young deaf rifle shooter Dhanush Srikanth.
1962 Asian Games gold medallist footballer I Arumainayagam was conferred the Arjuna Award for ‘Lifetime Achievement’.
Divya, India’s fourth female chess Grandmaster, earned the title after winning the FIDE Women’s World Cup 2025 in Batumi, Georgia. Tejaswin Shankar recently won a historic decathlon bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, becoming the first Indian to do so in the quadrennial event.
-
Manchester United emerge as serious contenders for talented full-back Joaquin Seys: Is he a smart option for Michael Carrick?
-
Bank Accounts Rented Out for ₹3,000; ₹25 Crore Fraud Uncovered
-
Solar Panel Price: Alert regarding electricity savings—installing solar panels at home is set to become costlier.
-
Freight transport set to accelerate! Vande Bharat Freight runs at 130 kmph; when will service begin?
-
Complete Ayushman Card e-KYC from home; verify in minutes using your mobile
