Hockey India Awards: Navneet, Hardik named Players of the Year; Zafar Iqbal gets Lifetime Achievement Award
International stars Navneet Kaur and Hardik Singh were named Players of the Year, while former India captain Zafar Iqbal, a member of the 1980 Olympic gold medal-winning team, was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hockey India 8th Annual Awards in New Delhi on Friday.
The ceremony was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Labour and Employment, and Raksha Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. Olympians Harbinder Singh, Aslam Sher Khan, Zafar Iqbal, Vineet Kumar, M P Singh, Jagbir Singh, Mir Ranjan Negi, Pritam Rani Siwach, Sita Mehta, Mamta Kharb, and Rani were also present.
The award presenters for the evening included Jugraj Singh, Asunta Lakra, Baljit Singh, Pargat Singh, Ajit Pal Singh, and Saroj Sharma, who joined players, officials, and member unit representatives to celebrate Indian hockey’s finest.
Navneet Kaur and Hardik Singh were honoured with the prestigious Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2025 (Rs 20 lakh each) in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively. Zafar Iqbal, who played an integral role in India’s gold medal win at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and also secured two Asian Games silver medals (1978, 1982) and a bronze at the 1982 Champions Trophy, received the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award (Rs 25 lakh).
Earlier in the day, Raghu Prasad RV was honoured for being named the FIH Umpire of the Year 2025, while Ishika was recognised for scoring on her debut against Uruguay during the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad. Deepika received the Poligras Magic Skill Award, while Abhishek was named Player of the Tournament at the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar.
Udita was named Player of the Tournament at the Women’s Asia Cup 2025 in Hangzhou, China, while Navneet Kaur earned the same honour at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad. All awardees in the individual achievement category received Rs 1 lakh each.
Seven member units were also awarded Rs 10 lakh each for their performances at the 15th Hockey India National Championships in 2025. The winners included Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Haryana, Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Punjab, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Association of Odisha, and Hockey Uttar Pradesh.
The gold medal-winning men’s team from the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir was felicitated, with each player receiving Rs 3 lakh and the support staff Rs 1.5 lakh each. The bronze medal-winning Indian junior men’s team from the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup 2025 in Tamil Nadu was also honoured, with players receiving Rs 5 lakh each and support staff Rs 2.5 lakh each.
Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams received incentives for international match wins, with the men’s team receiving Rs 1.38 crore and the women’s team Rs 69 lakh.
Bichu Devi Kharibam won the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year 2025, while Sanjay received the Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year. Sumit was named Midfielder of the Year, and Sukhjeet Singh won the Forward of the Year award. Each received Rs 5 lakh.
Among emerging players, Prince Deep Singh won the Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – Under 21), while Sakshi Rana secured the Asunta Lakra Award (Women – Under 21). Both received Rs 10 lakh.
In the officials’ category, Sourabh Singh Rajput won the President’s Award for Umpire/Umpire Manager of the Year, while Biswaranjan Sarangi received the President’s Award for Technical Official of the Year (Rs 2.5 lakh each).
Hockey Jharkhand was named Best Member Unit of the Year 2025 (Rs 2.5 lakh) for its efforts in developing the sport.
The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement was presented to Sardar Sarpal Singh of Roundglass Punjab Hockey Academy, while the Jaman Lal Sharma Award for Invaluable Contribution went to Manoj Konbegi (Rs 5 lakh each).
Individual milestones were also recognised. Manpreet Singh led the list after completing 400 international caps (Rs 4 lakh). Harmanpreet Singh received Rs 2.5 lakh for 250 caps. Navneet Kaur and Nikki Pradhan received Rs 2 lakh each for 200 caps. Hardik Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Nilakanta Sharma, Jarmanpreet Singh, and Salima Tete were awarded Rs 1.5 lakh each for 150 caps. Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, and Dilpreet Singh received Rs 1 lakh each for 100 caps.
Speaking on the occasion, Mansukh Mandaviya said, “Sports plays an integral role in driving the country forward. Hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games is a significant step as India aims to host the 2036 Olympics. Indian hockey has a rich legacy spanning 100 years and eight Olympic medals.”
Raksha Khadse added, “As we celebrate 100 years of Indian hockey, we are entering a new era with strong performances on the global stage. With the right direction and collaboration, Indian hockey can reach new heights.”
Navneet Kaur said, “It’s a great honour to receive this award. I thank my teammates for their constant support. This recognition means even more after our World Cup Qualifiers success.”
Hardik Singh, who won his third Player of the Year award, said, “This is the highest honour for an Indian hockey player. I’m grateful to my family, teammates, and coaches for their support.”
Zafar Iqbal said, “I am thankful to Hockey India for recognising me with such a prestigious award. My best wishes are always with the Indian team.”
IANS
