The eighth edition of The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026 in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s best athletes across multiple disciplines. TOISA 2025 will award performances from 1 January to 31 December 2025, recognizing outstanding performances in major international tournaments and world championships. Comprised of over 45 award categories, the event recognizes both established stars and emerging talents who have done the nation proud.The winners will be decided by an esteemed jury comprising of India’s renowned sports icons including Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra, hockey legend PR Sreejesh, former batsman Mithali Raj, Paralympic champion Devendra Jhajharia, table tennis stalwart Pa-Tennis Leander and Sharathland. His expertise ensures a credible and comprehensive assessment of excellence across Indian sports.The hockey nominees for TOISA 2025 reflect India’s strong performance on the continental stage during the year. Among men Asia Cup– The winning captain Harmanpreet Singh Led from the front with six goals, while forward Abhishek Nain was named player of the tournament for scoring six times in the title-winning campaign. Defenders Jograj Singh and Amit Rohidas also impressed with consistent performances throughout the Asia Cup and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.In the women’s category, defender Aditya Duhan stood out with a player-of-the-tournament display against runner-up India in the Asia Cup. Forwards Navneet Kaur and Mumtaz Khan were joint top scorers for India with six goals each, while Rutoja Pusal added four goals to underline the depth and promise in India’s attacking line-up.The nominees for hockey in TOISA 2025 are:Hockey – MenAbhishek NainDate of Birth: 15 August 1999Place of Birth: Sonepat, HaryanaSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner – Player of the Tournament (6 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners UpAbhishek Nin won the 2025 season as a forward for the Indian men’s hockey team, emerging as one of the team’s most influential performers. He was instrumental in India’s victorious campaign at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, where he scored six goals and was adjudged Player of the Tournament for his outstanding performance. Abhishek also made a significant impact in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, netting three times as India finished runners-up in the prestigious invitational tournament.Harmanpreet SinghDate of Birth: 6 January 1996Place of Birth: Amritsar, PunjabSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner – Captain (6 goals)Harmanpreet Singh led from the front as captain of the Indian men’s hockey team, guiding the team to a memorable title win 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 showed his prowess from the penalty corner, scoring six goals during the tournament. His leadership and clinical finishing proved crucial in India’s successful campaign, further cementing his reputation as one of the game’s premier defenders.Jograj SinghDate of Birth: 11 December 1996Place of Birth: Attari, PunjabSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner (4 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners Up (4 Goals)Jigraj Singh enjoyed an impressive 2025 season, playing a key role in India’s triumphant campaign at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. The defender played a key role in the title run, scoring four crucial goals during the tournament. He carried that form into the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, where India finished runners-up, again scoring four goals and making a significant impact at both ends of the pitch. His consistency in two major tournaments underscored his growing importance in the national set-up.Amit RohidasDate of Birth: 10 May 1993Place of Birth: Sundergarh, OdishaSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Winner (2 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runners Up (4 Goals)Amit Rohidas embarked on a strong 2025 campaign, playing a pivotal role as the vice-captain of the Indian men’s hockey team. The veteran defender was instrumental in India’s title run at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, where he scored two crucial goals and marshaled the backline with authority. He continued his fine form in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, scoring four goals as India finished runners-up. Reliable in defense and effective in attack, Rohidas made a clear impact at both ends of the pitch in two major tournaments.Hockey – FemaleAdita DuhanDate of Birth: 14 January 1998Place of Birth: Hisar, HaryanaSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up – Player of the Tournament (3 goals)Aditya Dohan was instrumental in India’s runner-up finish in the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The defender produced outstanding performances throughout the tournament, scoring three goals and anchoring the backline with poise and authority. His all-round impact earned him the Player of the Tournament award, highlighting his pivotal role in India’s impressive campaign.Navneet KaurDate of Birth: 26 January 1996Place of Birth: Shahabad Markanda, HaryanaSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (6 goals)Navneet Kaur was instrumental in India’s runner-up finish at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The experienced forward finished as the team’s joint-top scorer during the tournament with six goals, leading a relentless attack as India cruised to the final before pipping hosts China.Mumtaz KhanDate of Birth: 15 January 2003Place of Birth: Lucknow, Uttar PradeshSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (6 goals)Mumtaz Khan impressed with her impressive performance at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young forward formed a fine attacking partnership with senior pro Navneet Kaur, with the duo scoring six goals, the joint-highest for India in the tournament. Mumtaz’s contribution was instrumental in helping India reach the finals, where they eventually finished runners-up against hosts China.Rutoja PisalDate of Birth: 28 November 2002Place of Birth: Satara, MaharashtraSports: HockeyKey achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runners-up (4 goals)Rutoja Pisal emerged as another bright spark in India’s forward line at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young attacker scored four goals during the tournament, instrumental in India’s run to the finals, where they finished runners-up against eventual hosts China. Earlier in 2025, the Satara, Maharashtra native produced a match-winning display in the Hockey India League, scoring both goals to lead Odisha Warriors to a 2-1 victory over Surma Hockey Club in the championship clash.
