TOISA 2025: Meet the distinguished jury panel

The eighth variation of The Times of India Sports Awards volition instrumentality spot successful Lucknow connected March 21, 2026, bringing unneurotic immoderate of India’s biggest sporting icons to observe excellence crossed disciplines.

The prestigious awards honour the outstanding achievements, perseverance and dedication of Indian athletes who made the federation arrogant during the 2025 sporting season.In this edition, the awards volition recognise achievements crossed 49 categories — 36 sports and 13 para sports — with much than 190 nominations covering some idiosyncratic and squad performances. The winners volition beryllium selected by an illustrious assemblage comprising legendary athletes whose achievements person shaped Indian sport.

Their experience, credibility and heavy knowing of contention guarantee that the honours genuinely bespeak excellence connected the planetary stage.Also read: TOISA acceptable to observe India’s sporting heroes; Lucknow to big 8th edition

Here’s the assemblage for TOISA 2025:

Abhinav Bindra — ShootingIndia’s archetypal idiosyncratic Olympic golden medallist, Abhinav Bindra remains 1 of the country’s astir celebrated athletes. He created past astatine the 2008 Beijing Olympics by winning golden successful the 10m aerial firearm event. He earlier became the archetypal Indian shooter to assertion a satellite rubric astatine the 2006 ISSF World Shooting Championships.

A aggregate medallist astatine the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Bindra has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award.

PR Sreejesh — HockeyOne of the finest goalkeepers successful modern hockey, PR Sreejesh played a cardinal relation successful India’s resurgence connected the planetary stage. He was instrumental successful India winning Olympic bronze medals astatine the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2024 Paris Olympics. A golden medallist astatine the Asian Games and metallic medallist astatine the Commonwealth Games, Sreejesh has besides been named FIH Goalkeeper of the Year 3 times.

His achievements person been recognised with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award.Mithali Raj — CricketA trailblazer successful women’s cricket, Mithali Raj is the highest run-scorer successful women’s planetary cricket with 10,868 runs. She amassed 7,805 runs successful ODIs, the astir by immoderate woman, and led India to 2 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup finals successful 2005 and 2017. Mithali besides became the archetypal Indian to people 2,000 runs successful T20Is and holds the grounds for the astir ODI appearances.

Her singular 20-year vocation earned her the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, and designation arsenic Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer successful 2017.Devendra Jhajharia — Para AthleticsDevendra Jhajharia is among India’s top para-athletes and the lone Indian to triumph 2 Paralympic golden medals successful javelin throw, astatine the 2004 Athens Paralympics and 2016 Rio Paralympics. He besides secured a metallic medal astatine the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, completing a uncommon hat-trick of medals.

Jhajharia broke the satellite grounds doubly successful the F46 class and became the archetypal para-athlete to person the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.

His honours besides see the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, and Arjuna Award.Sharath Kamal — Table TennisSharath Kamal is wide regarded arsenic India’s top array tennis player. He became the archetypal Indian to triumph a Commonwealth Games singles golden successful 2006 and has since amassed a grounds 13 Commonwealth Games medals.

A 10-time nationalist champion, helium has besides won medals astatine the Asian Games and Asian Championships, and became the archetypal Indian to triumph an ITTF Pro Tour title. Sharath represented India astatine 5 Olympic Games from Athens 2004 to Paris 2024 and served arsenic Co-Chair of the ITTF Athletes’ Commission.

His achievements earned him the Padma Shri, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, and Arjuna Award.Leander Paes — TennisLeander Paes is 1 of India’s astir decorated tennis players, with 18 Grand Slam titles crossed men’s and mixed doubles. He won a historical bronze medal astatine the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, ending India’s 44-year hold for an idiosyncratic Olympic medal. Paes besides holds the grounds for the astir doubles victories successful Davis Cup past and was portion of the legendary Indian Express pairing with Mahesh Bhupathi. Honoured with the Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Arjuna Award, and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Paes remains a towering fig successful Indian sport.