On February 14, 2025, the 7th edition of the “Sportstar Aces Awards 2025” was held at the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The event celebrated exceptional achievements in Indian sports, honoring the winners across 24 distinct categories.The awards recognized the remarkable contributions and accomplishments of athletes, coaches, and organizations that have significantly impacted Indian sports.
- Indian hockey legend, Parattu Raveendran (PR) Sreejesh won the Sportstar of the Year 2025 (Male), while Manu Bhaker won the Sportstar of the Year 2025 (Female) and also the Sportswoman of the Year (Olympic Sport) repectively.
- The event featured 5 Popular Choice Awards and 16 Jury Awards, with over 2 lakh votes cast for the Popular Choice categories.
- This year 2025, 2 special awards: ‘Special Recognition Gamechanger 2025’ and ‘Inspirational Icon Award 2025’ were presented.
Key People:
i.The event was graced by sports legends such as Former Indian Cricketer, Sunil Gavaskar, Former Indian field Hockey player, MM Somaya, Former Indian Professional Shooter, Abhinav Bindra, Indian Chess Grandmaster, Viswanathan Anand, as well as Anjali Bhagwat and Aparna Popat.
ii.These distinguished personalities served as jury members, ensuring a thorough and impartial evaluation of the nominees.
Popular Choice Awards 2025:
| Award Category | Winner Name | Sport Type |
|---|---|---|
| Sportstar of the Year (Male) | PR Sreejesh | Hockey |
| Sportstar of the Year (Female) | Manu Bhaker | Shooting |
| National Team of the Year | Indian Men and Women Chess Team | Chess |
| Club/State Team of the Year | Mumbai City Football Club (FC) | Football |
| Sporting Moment of the Year | Arshdeep Singh Aulakh match-winning performance in the Twenty20 (T20) World Cup | Cricket |
Jury Awards 2025:
| Award Category | Winner Name | Sport Type |
|---|---|---|
| Sportsman of the Year (Non-Olympic Sport) | Prathamesh Samadhan Jawkar | Kabaddi |
| Sportswoman of the Year (Non-Olympic Sport) | Divya Deshmukh | Chess |
| Sportsman of the Year (Track and Field) | Neeraj Chopra | Javelin Throw |
| Sportswoman of the Year (Track and Field) | Jyothi Yarraji | Sprinting |
| Sportsman of the Year (Olympic Sport) | Bajrang Punia | Wrestling |
| Sportswoman of the Year (Olympic Sport) | Manu Bhaker | Shooting |
| Sportsman of the Year (Para Sport) | Sumit Antil | Javelin |
| Sportswoman of the Year (Para Sport) | Avani Lekhara | Shooting |
| Coach of the Year | Pullela Gopichand | Badminton |
| Young Achiever of the Year (Male) | Lakshya Sen | Badminton |
| Young Achiever of the Year (Female) | Manu Bhaker | Shooting |
| Best State for Promotion of Sport | Madhya Pradesh (MP) | – |
| Best Corporate for Promotion of Sport | Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) | – |
| Best Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) for Promotion of Sport | National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) | – |
| Best University for Promotion of Sport | Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) | – |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Gurbux Singh | Hockey |
| Mary D’Souza Sequeira | Hockey |
Highlights:
i.Arshdeep Singh Aulakh, the left-arm seamer was honored with the award for his exceptional performance in 2024, where he claimed 36 wickets, playing a vital role in India’s T20 World Cup success.
ii.The “Chairperson’s Award for Sports for Social Good 2025” Chairperson’s Award for Sports for Social Good 2025 was presented to Downtown Heroes FC, a football club based in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
- The award was received by the club’s co-founders, Kaiser Bhat, Mushtaq Bashir, and Hinan Manzoor, in recognition of their remarkable vision and efforts to inspire positive change through sports
iii.Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) received the award, recognizing their significant contributions to sports development.
iv.The Best University for Promotion of Sport 2025 was presented to the KIIT, Deemed University (DU) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha for its significant contributions to sports development.
- The university has produced 23 Olympians, 3 Paralympians, 11 Arjuna Awardees, and 1 Khel Ratna Awardee, highlighting its commitment to nurturing athletic talent.
v.Pusarla Venkata Sindhu was honored with the “Inspirational Icon Award 2025” recognizing her exceptional achievements and unwavering dedication to the sport of Badminton.
vi.Jay Shah, Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), was honored with the ‘Special Recognition Game Changer Award 2025’ in recognition of his transformative contributions to Indian cricket and the sport globally.
