TOISA 2025 Returns to Spotlight India's Sporting Excellence
The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) is set to make a grand comeback for its eighth edition, dedicated to celebrating the remarkable achievements and inspiring journeys of India's top athletes. The prestigious TOISA 2025 ceremony is scheduled to take place on March 21, 2026, in the vibrant city of Lucknow, bringing together the nation's most celebrated sporting icons and promising emerging stars under one roof.
Expansive Recognition Across Sporting Disciplines
This edition of TOISA will honor outstanding performances across more than 45 diverse categories, covering the evaluation period from January 1 to December 31, 2025. The year 2025 has been particularly noteworthy for Indian sports, marked by exceptional displays at global and continental competitions that have elevated the country's standing on the international stage.
Para Sports Take Center Stage
The landscape of para sports in India has undergone a transformative evolution in recent years, with the nation consistently producing champions at premier global events such as the Paralympics and Para World Championships. In recognition of this progress, TOISA 2025 will dedicate more than 10 award categories specifically to honor India's para athletes, including their dedicated coaches who play a pivotal role in their success.
Reflecting India's growing prowess in para sports, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a significant hub for talent, producing outstanding para athletes over the years. Building on their strong performances in 2025, four para athletes and two para coaches from the state have earned nominations for TOISA 2025 across various categories, showcasing the region's contribution to the sporting ecosystem.
Spotlight on Uttar Pradesh's Para Athletes
Para sprinter Preethi Pal led Uttar Pradesh's impressive year in para sports, securing nominations in both the Para Athlete of the Year (Track and Field) and Para Sportsperson of the Year categories. Her achievements include winning two medals at the World Para Athletics Championships, solidifying her status as a top contender. Other notable UP nominees for TOISA 2025 include Vivek Chikara in archery, Vaibhav Gautam in chess, Praveen Kumar in athletics, along with coaches Gaurav Khanna for para badminton and Dr. Satyapal Singh for para athletics.
Detailed Profiles of Nominated Athletes
Para Archer of the Year: Vivek Chikara
Date of Birth: January 12, 1990
Place of Birth: Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
Sport: Para Archery
Major Achievements in 2025:
- Asian Para Archery Championships 2025 – Recurve Men’s Open Doubles silver medal (partnered with Harvinder Singh)
Vivek Chikara clinched a silver medal alongside Harvinder Singh in the recurve men’s open doubles at the 2025 Asian Para Archery Championships held in Beijing. The duo narrowly lost to the Chinese pair in a thrilling shoot-off, contributing to India's robust overall medal tally at the continental event.
Para Athlete of the Year: Preethi Pal (Sprinter)
Date of Birth: September 22, 2000
Place of Birth: Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Athletics (100m & 200m Sprint – T35 Classification)
Major Achievements in 2025:
- World Para Athletics Championships (New Delhi): Silver in 100m T35 and Bronze in 200m T35
- Set a new national record in the 100m T35 category – 14.21 seconds at the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025
- Finished the 2025 season as World No. 2 in the T35 100m category
In 2025, Preethi Pal experienced a landmark season, reinforcing her position as one of India's leading para sprinters. Serving as India's flag bearer at the World Para Athletics Championships, she secured silver in the 100m T35 and bronze in the 200m T35 on home soil. Earlier in the year, she was honored with the Arjuna Award, set a new national record in the 100m T35, and concluded the season ranked World No. 2 in her category.
Para Athlete of the Year: Praveen Kumar (High Jump)
Date of Birth: May 15, 2003
Place of Birth: Jewar (Govindgarh), Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Athletics (High Jump)
Major Achievements in 2025:
- World Para Athletics Championships (New Delhi): Bronze in High Jump T64 event
- National Para Athletics Championship: Gold medal
Praveen Kumar enhanced his reputation with notable accomplishments in 2025. He was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in January, recognizing his Paralympic success. Later, he won bronze in the high jump T64 at the World Para Athletics Championships and claimed gold at the National Para Athletics Championship.
Para Chess Player of the Year: Vaibhav Gautam
Date of Birth: November 1, 2002
Place of Birth: Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Chess
Major Achievements in 2025:
- World Championship: Silver medal
Vaibhav Gautam achieved a significant milestone in 2025 by winning silver in the men’s wheelchair category at the 24th World IPCA Individual Chess Championship in Goa. His podium finish marked a breakthrough year, establishing him among the top global competitors in his category.
Para Sportsperson of the Year: Preethi Pal (Sprinter)
Date of Birth: September 22, 2000
Place of Birth: Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Athletics (100m & 200m Sprint – T35 Classification)
Major Achievements in 2025:
- World Para Athletics Championships (New Delhi): Silver in 100m T35 and Bronze in 200m T35
- Set a new national record in the 100m T35 category – 14.21 seconds at the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025
- Finished the 2025 season as World No. 2 in the T35 100m category
In 2025, Preethi Pal enjoyed a landmark season, reinforcing her status as one of India’s leading para sprinters. Serving as India’s flag bearer at the World Para Athletics Championships, she clinched silver in the 100m T35 and bronze in the 200m T35 on home soil. Earlier in the year, she was conferred with the Arjuna Award. She also set a new national record in the 100m T35 and finished the season ranked World No. 2 in the category.
Para Coach of the Year: Gaurav Khanna (Para Badminton)
Date of Birth: December 11, 1975
Place of Birth: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Badminton (Head National Coach)
Major Achievements in 2025:
Under his leadership, the Indian para badminton team surpassed 1,000 international medals. He guided the team to 23 medals at the Bahrain Para Badminton International 2025 and oversaw strong performances in Thailand and Dubai events. Additionally, he launched a grassroots coaching program and helped strengthen the domestic talent pipeline.
Para Coach of the Year: Dr. Satyapal Singh (Para Athletics)
Date of Birth: January 1, 1978
Place of Birth: Village Machhli, Uttar Pradesh, India
Sport: Para Athletics (Dronacharya & Padma Shri awardee coach)
Major Achievements in 2025:
Dr. Satyapal Singh continued his influential role in Indian para athletics. His trainee Praveen Kumar was honored with the Khel Ratna Award. He played a key role in India’s success at the World Para Athletics Championships in New Delhi and continued as Chief Coach of the Paralympic Committee of India, overseeing a strong medal haul across international events.
The TOISA 2025 ceremony promises to be a memorable event, celebrating the dedication and triumphs of India's sporting legends while inspiring future generations to pursue excellence in sports.
