From wrestling mats to badminton courts, India’s 2025 sporting feats converge at TOISA by The Times of India Sports Awards

The eighth edition of The Times of India Sports Awards will take place on March 21 in Lucknow, with Puneet Gupt, Chief Operating Officer at The Times of India, noting that the platform continues to recognise athletes across more than 45 sporting categories.

Athletic performances from across India’s sporting landscape will come together in Lucknow as the eighth edition of TOISA is set to take place on March 21, 2026. Organised by The Times of India Sports Awards, the ceremony will review performances recorded between January 1 and December 31, 2025 and recognise athletes across more than 45 sports categories.
Over the years, the platform has become a significant moment in India’s sporting calendar by acknowledging achievements across Olympic disciplines as well as emerging sports. Athletes are evaluated by an independent jury comprising accomplished sports professionals and administrators who assess nominations based on performance, consistency and scale of achievement.

This year the ceremony will be hosted at The Centrum Hotel in Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh has increasingly emerged as an important contributor to India’s sporting ecosystem, producing athletes across disciplines including wrestling, athletics and other competitive sports. Hosting the event in the state capital reflects the growing presence of regional centres in shaping India’s sporting talent.
Puneet Gupt, Chief Operating Officer at The Times of India, said, “The Times of India has always believed that every champion deserves to be celebrated, not just those the headlines follow most easily. TOISA was built on that conviction, and eight editions later, it remains the most meaningful thing we do in the sporting space. Bringing this platform to Lucknow this year is a reflection of where Indian sport is growing and we are proud to be part of that story.”

The jury for TOISA 2025 includes several prominent figures from Indian sport. Among them are Leander Paes, Olympic medallist and former World Number One tennis player, Mithali Raj, former captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, Abhinav Bindra, Olympic gold medallist in shooting, Devendra Jhajharia, Paralympic champion in javelin throw, Sharath Kamal, table tennis player and Commonwealth Games medallist, and PR Sreejesh, former captain of the Indian men’s hockey team.
Indian badminton is expected to feature prominently among the nominations this year following a strong run of performances during 2025. Several leading players have been shortlisted, including Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty. The nominations cover both singles and doubles categories, reflecting the depth of Indian badminton across formats.

Leander Paes, Jury Member for TOISA 2025 and Olympic medallist in tennis, said, “I have spent my life competing for India, and the one thing I know for certain is that champions are made long before the world notices them. TOISA matters because it notices. It looks beyond the obvious and finds the athletes who are quietly rewriting what Indian sport is capable of. Being part of this jury is not just an honour. It is a responsibility I take seriously because the athletes we recognise here carry that recognition with them for the rest of their careers.”
Harmanpreet Kaur, Captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, said, “Every athlete who pulls on the India jersey does so knowing the sacrifices involved. The years of training, the tournaments away from home and the pressure of representing a billion people. An evening like TOISA reminds us that those sacrifices are seen and valued. It gives the sport and the people who play it a dignity that goes beyond trophies.”

Since its inception, The Times of India Sports Awards has recognised athletes across a wide range of disciplines and contributed to giving visibility to sports and competitors that often receive limited national attention. With the upcoming edition in Lucknow, the platform continues its focus on recognising achievements across India’s diverse sporting ecosystem.

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