LUCKNOW: The Tech Word News Sports Awards (TOISA) 2025 brought together the biggest names and definitive performances under one roof, honoring a year of achievements while offering a glimpse of what lies ahead. It was an evening that took off quickly, was widely appreciated and showed where Indian sport stands today.Smriti Mandhana led the Sportsperson of the Year award in the women’s category, her season characterized by authority and consistency. Alongside her, shooter Samrat Rana was honored in the men’s category after creating history last year by becoming India’s first 10m air pistol world champion – a defining breakthrough in his career.India’s sporting excellence in 2025 was spread across disciplines. Nowhere was this more evident than in the Para-Sportsmen of the Year: Sheetal Devi and Sumit Antil.Sheetal Devi’s rise has been defined by historic breakthroughs and medal-winning consistency. A world champion and Paralympic medalist, she has mastered compound archery while breaking barriers and even earned selection in the able-bodied international team, a first for an Indian para archer.
Sheetal Devi and Sumit Antil crowned as ‘Para-athletes of the year’
Meanwhile, Sumit Antil continues to set the benchmark in para athletics. The multiple Paralympic champion and world record holder added to his dominance with a gold at the World Para Athletics Championships, consistently leading the field.From there, the ceremony picked up pace with a scintillating roll call of the creme de la creme of Indian sports. The Indian women’s cricket team won the team award, underscoring a phase of dominance, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India was named Federation of the Year.“Once again I would like to thank The Tech Word News for organizing these awards. It is wonderful to see so many talented individuals here. Their achievements are truly extraordinary and it is important that they are recognised,” said Rajiv Shukla, BCCI Vice President, as he accepted the award on behalf of the board.Divya Deshmukh, named Emerging Sportsperson of the Year, signaled a new generation ready for the global stage, while Leander Paes was honored as Mentor of the Year.
Yogi Adityanath at TOISA 2025
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conferred the highest award at a glittering ceremony held at The Centrum in Lucknow.Yet TOISA 2025 was as much about messaging as it was about recognition. As the chief guest, Adityanath laid out a clear policy direction, emphasizing the need to build sports from the ground up.“We are working to ensure that every district becomes a hub for sports activities where facilities, training and opportunities are available to all. From village level competitions to international platforms, we aim to create a seamless journey for sportspersons,” he said.He also highlighted the state’s progress in developing sports infrastructure. “Over the last 11-12 years, a sports culture has developed in the country. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have taken it forward in Uttar Pradesh since 2017,” he added.“On behalf of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, I once again welcome you all. Thank you to The Tech Word News Group… for organizing this wonderful platform that recognizes excellence and inspires the next generation,” he concluded.Among other major winners, Amol Muzumdar was named coach of the year for leading the women’s team to a historic ICC ODI World Cup title, while Subhash Rana won the para coach of the year.Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma were named Cricketers of the Year, while Neeraj Chopra and Rupal Chaudhary won the Track & Field award.
Superstars at TOISA 2025
In the evening, he also thought about the legacy. Mithali Raj and PR Sreejesh were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Awards, celebrating careers that have shaped the global identity of Indian sport. A look ahead came from Devendra Jhajharii, who spoke of a target of 50 medals at the LA 2028 Paralympics; not as an ambition but as an expectation.However, the tone was set right from the start. Prasad Sanyal, Group Business Head for TOI, Indiatimes and WhatsHot captured the essence of the evening in his keynote speech: “More sweat, more glory – this is the journey Indian sports continues to embrace.”This was the eighth edition of TOISA, celebrating the journeys and achievements of India’s best athletes in over 45 sports categories, covering performances from 1 January to 31 December 2025, a year that once again showed the growing depth, consistency and ambition of Indian sports.TOISA 2025 Winners List: Samrat Rana, Smriti Mandhana bag top honours; Sheetal Devi wins Para Athlete of the Year
