The eighth edition of the Tech Word News Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026 in Lucknow and will celebrate the achievements and inspirational journeys of India’s best sportspersons across various disciplines. TOISA 2025 recognizes performances from 1 January to 31 December 2025 and recognizes outstanding displays at major international tournaments and world championships. Featuring more than 45 award categories, the event honors both established stars and emerging talents who have brought pride to the nation.The winners will be decided by an esteemed panel of judges comprising some of India’s most famous sporting icons, including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, former batting great Mithali Raj, Paralympic champion Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Sharath Kamal and tennis legend Leander Paese. Their expertise ensures a credible and comprehensive assessment of excellence across Indian sports.The TOISA 2025 hockey nominations reflect India’s strong performances on the continental stage during the year. Among the men, Asia Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Singh led from the front with six goals, while forward Abhishek Nain was named player of the tournament after scoring six times in the title campaign. Defenders Jugraj Singh and Amit Rohidas have also impressed with consistent performances across the Asia Cup and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup respectively.In the women’s category, defender Udita Duhanova stood out with a Player of the Tournament display in India’s runner-up finish at the Asia Cup. Forwards Navneet Kaur and Mumtaz Khan were joint top scorers for India with six goals each, while Rutuja Pisal added four wickets to underline the depth and promise in India’s attacking line-up.Here are the TOISA 2025 hockey nominees:HOCKEY – MANAbhishek NainDate of birth: August 15, 1999Place of Birth: Sonipat, HaryanaSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner – Player of the Tournament (6 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Vice-upAbhishek Nain enjoyed a breakout season in 2025 as a forward for the Indian men’s hockey team, becoming one of the side’s most influential players. He was part of India’s triumphant campaign at the Men’s Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, scoring six goals and being named the Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performances. Abhishek also made a big impact at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, finding the net three times as India finished runners-up in the prestigious invitation-only tournament.Harmanpreet SinghDate of birth: January 6, 1996Place of Birth: Amritsar, PunjabSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Winner – Captain (6 goals)Harmanpreet Singh led from the front as the captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, leading the side to a memorable title triumph at the men’s hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. A commanding defender and one of the best drag-flick specialists in world hockey, Harmanpreet once again showcased his prowess from penalty corners, scoring six goals during the tournament. His leadership and clinical finishing proved pivotal in India’s successful campaign and further cemented his reputation as one of the game’s premier defenders.Jugraj SinghDate of birth: December 11, 1996Place of Birth: Attari, PunjabSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Winner (4 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Second place (4 goals)Jugraj Singh enjoyed an impressive 2025 season and played a key role in India’s triumphant campaign at the Men’s Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. The defender was involved in the winning run and contributed four crucial goals during the tournament. He carried that form into the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where India finished runners-up, again scoring four wickets and hitting hard at both ends of the pitch. His consistency across two major tournaments underlined his growing importance in the national setup.Amit RohidasDate of birth: May 10, 1993Place of Birth: Sundergarh, OdishaSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Winner (2 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Second place (4 goals)Amit Rohidas has put together a strong 2025 campaign and played a vital role as the vice-captain of the Indian men’s hockey team. The seasoned defender was instrumental in India’s victory in the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, contributing two crucial goals and commanding the backline. He continued his good form at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scoring four goals as India finished runners-up. Reliable in defense and efficient in attack, Rohidas has impressed at both ends of the pitch in two major tournaments.HOCKEY – WOMENUdita DuhanováDate of birth: January 14, 1998Place of Birth: Hisar, HaryanaSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runner-up – Player of the Tournament (3 goals)Udita Duhan was instrumental in India’s runner-up finish at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The defender performed superbly throughout the tournament, scoring three goals while anchoring the back line with composure and authority. Her all-round impact earned her the Player of the Tournament award, underscoring her key role in India’s impressive campaign.Navneet KaurDate of birth: January 26, 1996Place of Birth: Shahabad Markanda, HaryanaSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Second (6 goals)Navneet Kaur put in a strong performance at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China and played a key role in India’s runner-up finish. The experienced forward finished as the team’s joint top scorer with six goals during the tournament and consistently led the charge as India cruised to the final before finishing behind hosts China.Mumtaz KhanDate of birth: January 15, 2003Place of Birth: Lucknow, Uttar PradeshSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Second (6 goals)Mumtaz Khan impressed with a strong show at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young forward forged a fine attacking partnership with senior pro Navneet Kaur, with the two players scoring six goals each – the joint-highest for India in the tournament. Mumtaz’s contributions were instrumental in India’s progress to the finals, where they eventually finished runners-up to hosts China.Rutuja wroteDate of birth: November 28, 2002Place of Birth: Satara, MaharashtraSports: HockeyMajor achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Vice-up (4 goals)Rutuja Pisal emerged as another bright spark in India’s line-up at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young striker netted four wickets during the tournament and played an important role in India’s run to the finals, where they eventually finished runners-up to hosts China. Earlier in 2025, the Satara, Maharashtra native produced a match-winning performance in the Hockey India League, scoring both goals to help Odisha Warriors to a 2-1 victory over Soorma Hockey Club in the championship encounter.
