Arjuna Award 2025: Lalremsiami, Rajkumar Pal honoured for hockey excellence
Synopsis
Two Indian hockey stars from opposite ends of the country — Lalremsiami from Mizoram and Rajkumar Pal from Uttar Pradesh — have been named Arjuna Award 2025 recipients, recognised for Olympic bronze medals, Asian Games podiums, and a combined decade of consistent international performance. Their recognition signals hockey's deepening talent pool across India's regions.
Key Takeaways
Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal named Arjuna Award 2025 recipients by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports .
The duo are among 17 sportspersons across disciplines to receive the award this year.
Lalremsiami (Kolasib, Mizoram) has represented India since 2017 , winning medals at the Asian Games ( 2018 silver, 2022 bronze ) and Asian Champions Trophy ( 2023 and 2024 gold ).
Rajkumar Pal (Karampur, Uttar Pradesh) was part of India's back-to-back Olympic bronze at Paris 2024 and scored a hat-trick against Malaysia at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy.
The President of India will confer the awards at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan .
The Arjuna Award has been conferred on Indian hockey players since 1961 .
Hockey India on Tuesday, 18 August 2025 congratulated women's team forward Lalremsiami and men's team midfielder Rajkumar Pal on being named recipients of the Arjuna Award 2025, India's second-highest sporting honour, as announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The two players are among 17 sportspersons across disciplines to receive the award this year, with the President of India set to confer the honours at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Lalremsiami: A Decade of Consistency
Hailing from Kolasib, Mizoram, Lalremsiami has been a mainstay of the Indian Women's Hockey Team since her senior debut in 2017. She was a key contributor to the side's historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics — widely regarded as one of the most celebrated performances in Indian women's hockey history.
Her medal haul across international competitions is extensive: silver at the 2018 Asian Games, bronze at the 2022 Asian Games, gold at the Asian Champions Trophy in 2023 and 2024, and a gold at the Women's Asia Cup in 2017. She also featured in India's campaigns at the 2022 and 2026 FIH Hockey Nations Cup, cementing her status as one of the most decorated forwards in the current Indian women's setup.
Rajkumar Pal: From Debut to Olympic Bronze
Rajkumar Pal, a midfielder from Karampur, Uttar Pradesh, made his international debut in 2020 and has risen swiftly through the ranks. His most significant achievement came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where he was part of the Indian men's team that clinched a back-to-back bronze medal — a historic feat for Indian hockey.
Rajkumar also contributed to India's gold-medal campaign at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy, where he produced a standout individual performance — scoring a hat-trick against Malaysia during the tournament held in China. He was further part of the squad that won the 2025 Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar.
What Hockey India Said
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, 'It is a proud moment for Indian hockey to see Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal conferred with the Arjuna Award. Both have shown tremendous dedication and consistency in representing the country over the years, and this recognition is a fitting tribute to their hard work and commitment. On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate them and wish them continued success in the seasons ahead.'
Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh added, 'Lalremsiami and Rajkumar Pal have been dependable performers for the country, and their achievements reflect the depth of talent we now have across our men's and women's programmes. This honour will further motivate them, and inspire many young players across the country to take up the sport.'
A Storied Legacy of Hockey Arjuna Awardees
The Arjuna Award, introduced in 1961, has been conferred on several generations of Indian hockey greats — from the era of Prithipal Singh and Anne Lumsden to recent recipients including Harmanpreet Singh, Rani, Savita, PR Sreejesh, Manpreet Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, and Salima Tete. With this recognition, Lalremsiami and Rajkumar join that illustrious company.
As Indian hockey continues to build on its recent Olympic success, the recognition of players from diverse regions — Mizoram and Uttar Pradesh — also underlines the sport's growing national footprint. Both awardees are expected to remain central to their respective squads in the seasons ahead.
Point of View
But they also reflect a broader shift in how Indian hockey is being recognised — no longer dominated by men's team stars alone. Lalremsiami's decade of service to the women's programme, often without the same media spotlight as her male counterparts, makes this recognition particularly overdue. Rajkumar's rise from debut in 2020 to Olympic bronze in 2024 is one of the faster trajectories in recent Indian hockey, and his hat-trick against Malaysia in China deserved wider national attention than it received. The geographic spread — Mizoram and Uttar Pradesh — also points to hockey's expanding grassroots reach, a development that selectors and administrators should be actively building on.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the hockey players who received the Arjuna Award 2025?
Women's team forward Lalremsiami and men's team midfielder Rajkumar Pal were named recipients of the Arjuna Award 2025, as announced by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. They are among 17 sportspersons across disciplines to be honoured this year.
What are Lalremsiami's major achievements in Indian hockey?
Lalremsiami has represented India since 2017 and was part of the team that finished fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She has won silver at the 2018 Asian Games, bronze at the 2022 Asian Games, gold at the Asian Champions Trophy in 2023 and 2024, and gold at the 2017 Women's Asia Cup.
What is Rajkumar Pal known for in Indian hockey?
Rajkumar Pal is a midfielder from Karampur, Uttar Pradesh, who made his international debut in 2020. He was part of India's historic back-to-back Olympic bronze at Paris 2024 and scored a hat-trick against Malaysia at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy in China.
Where will the Arjuna Award 2025 ceremony be held?
The President of India will confer the Arjuna Award 2025 at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The exact date of the ceremony has not been specified in the announcement.
What is the Arjuna Award and when was it introduced?
The Arjuna Award is India's second-highest sporting honour, introduced in 1961 to recognise consistently outstanding athletic performance over the preceding four years, along with leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline. Past hockey recipients include Harmanpreet Singh, PR Sreejesh, Rani, Savita, and Salima Tete.
