Heroes in Sports

Anahat Singh

A squash player from Delhi who became the youngest Asian woman in the world top 20 and India's first world junior squash champion.

Mann Ki Baat #132
Delhi

Anshu Jamsenpa

A mountaineer from Bomdila who has climbed Everest five times, including two summits in five days, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

Padma Shri 2021
Arunachal Pradesh

Avani Lekhara

A para-shooter from Jaipur who won gold and bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the first Indian woman to win Paralympic gold; Padma Shri, 2022.

Padma Shri 2022
Rajasthan

Baldev Singh

The hockey coach who built Shahbad Markanda into a nursery of international players and led India to the 2004 Asia Cup, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

Padma Shri 2026
Punjab

Bhagwandas Raikwar

A Sagar ustad who spent over 60 years reviving Bundeli akhara martial arts and trained thousands of young people, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

Padma Shri 2026
Madhya Pradesh

Brahmanand Sankhwalkar

A goalkeeper from Goa who captained India from 1983 to 1986 and played for 25 years, mostly for Salgaocar, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.

Padma Shri 2022
Goa

Devendra Jhajharia

A javelin thrower from Churu, the first Indian para-athlete with two Paralympic golds, who added silver in Tokyo; Padma Bhushan, 2022.

Padma Bhushan 2022
Rajasthan

Faisal Ali Dar

A kickboxing coach from Bandipora who built a martial arts academy across Kashmir, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.

Padma Shri 2022
Jammu and Kashmir

Gaurav Khanna

The head coach credited with the rise of India's para badminton team and a Dronacharya awardee, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

Padma Shri 2024
Uttar Pradesh

Gulveer Singh

A distance runner from Aligarh and an Indian Army athlete who became the first Indian to run a half marathon in under an hour.

Mann Ki Baat #132
Uttar Pradesh

Gurcharan Singh

A veteran cricket coach who trained 12 international players, among them Kirti Azad and Maninder Singh, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

Padma Shri 2023
Delhi

Harbinder Singh

An Olympic hockey gold medallist of 1964 and lifelong coach, selector and mentor who now advises a youth hockey academy, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

Padma Shri 2024
Delhi

Harmanpreet Kaur

The captain of India's women's cricket team, known for aggressive batting and match-winning innings, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

Padma Shri 2026
Punjab

Harvinder Singh

A para-archer from Haryana who won India's first Paralympic gold in archery at Paris 2024, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

Padma Shri 2025
Haryana

I.M. Vijayan

A former India football captain and prolific striker from Kerala who scored 40 international goals, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025.

Padma Shri 2025
Kerala

Joshna Chinappa

A squash player who won a record 19 national titles, a Commonwealth Games gold and the Asian championship twice, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2024.

Padma Shri 2024
Tamil Nadu

K Shanathoiba Sharma

A guru of thang-ta, the traditional martial art of Manipur, who has spent four decades teaching and promoting it, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2023.

Padma Shri 2023
Manipur

K Y Venkatesh

A Karnataka athlete of short stature who won medals at the World Dwarf Games and helped India join para-sports bodies, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

Padma Shri 2021
Karnataka

K. Pajanivel

A silambam master from Puducherry who has trained more than 5,000 students, many through free summer camps, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2026.

Padma Shri 2026
Puducherry

Madhavan Nambiar

The athletics coach O. M. Nambiar, who guided P. T. Usha and was among the first Dronacharya Award winners, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

Padma Shri 2021
Kerala

Mouma Das

India's most capped woman table tennis player, a two-time Olympian with a record 17 World Championships, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

Padma Shri 2021
West Bengal

Neeraj Chopra

The javelin thrower from Panipat who won India's first Olympic gold in athletics at Tokyo 2020, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2022.

Padma Shri 2022
Haryana

P. Anitha

A Chennai basketball player who captained India at 19 and played for the national team for 18 years, honoured with the Padma Shri in 2021.

Padma Shri 2021
Tamil Nadu

P.R. Sreejesh

India's hockey goalkeeper "The Wall", who won Olympic bronze at Tokyo and Paris, honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2025.

Padma Shri 2017
Padma Bhushan 2025
Kerala