Indian Athletics Awards 2025: Neeraj Chopra and Parul Chaudhary Win Top Honours

In the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards 2025, Olympic medal-winning javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was named as the Best Male Athlete of the Year at the ceremony, which was held in New Delhi. Also, the national record holder, Parul Chaudhary, received the Female Athlete of the Year award.

This award was organised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and it recognizes the athletes, coaches, officials, state associations and contributors who have played an important role in the growth of athletics in the country.

Neeraj Chopra Wins Best Male Athlete of the Year

India’s most celebrated track and field athlete and Olympic Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra added another prestigious honour to his illustrious career by winning the Best Male Athlete of the Year award.

The two-time Olympic medallist continued to perform at the highest level despite facing injury challenges.

After recovering from the back injury suffered before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Chopra has returned strongly to international competition.

One of his major achievements came when he became the first Indian athlete to cross the 90-metre mark in the javelin throw and registered the remarkable throw of 90.23 metres at the Doha Diamond League.

Parul Chaudhary Named Best Female Athlete

Distance runner and steeplechase specialist Parul Chaudhary was awarded the Best Female Athlete of the Year title.

Parul enjoyed the highly successful season and winning the gold medals in both the women’s 3000m steeplechase and 5000m events at the Asian Championships.

She remains one of India’s leading long-distance runners and continues to set benchmarks in middle and long-distance athletics.

PT Usha Among Lifetime Achievement Award Winners

One of the most emotional moments of the ceremony came when the legendary sprinter and Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

She is widely regarded as one of India’s greatest athletes, and PT Usha’s contributions to Indian sports span several decades.

She has inspired the generations of athletes and continues to contribute to sports administration and athlete development.

Other recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award included the,

• Gurbachan Singh Randhawa – Former Asian Games decathlon champion
• Bahadur Singh Chauhan – Former national athletics coach
• Anju Bobby George – World Championships bronze medallist in the long jump

Emerging Athletes Receive Recognition

The Indian Athletics Awards also focused on to encouraging the next generation of talent.

• Best Emerging Male Athlete: Shahnavaz Khan
• Best Emerging Female Athlete: Pooja Singh

Both the athletes have shown exceptional promise and they are considered as the future stars of Indian athletics.

Other Major Award Winners

There are several individuals and organizations were recognized for their contributions to the sport.

• Best Coach of the Year: Parveer Singh
• Best Technical Official of the Year: Dr. Kuldeep Singh
• Best State Association of the Year: Tamil Nadu Athletics Association
• Best State Supporting Athletics: Government of Odisha

The awards acknowledge not only athletes but also the coaches, administrators, officials, and institutions that help build a strong athletics ecosystem.

Indian Athletics Awards 2025 Winners List