The 8th edition of The Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held in Lucknow on March 21, 2026, celebrating the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s best athletes across multiple disciplines. TOISA 2025 will recognize performance between January 1 and December 31, 2025, recognizing outstanding performance at major international and world championships. Featuring over 45 award categories, the event celebrates established stars and rising stars who have brought pride to the country.The winners will be selected by a distinguished jury of some of India’s most renowned sports 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 Paes. Their expertise ensures a credible and comprehensive assessment of excellence in Indian sports.TOISA 2025 Hockey nominees reflect India’s strong performance on the continental stage during the year. among men, asian cup-Winning captain Harmanpreet Singh The team led the way with six goals and striker Abhishek Nain was named the tournament’s best player after scoring six goals in the title-winning match. Defenders Jugraj Singh and Amit Rohidas also impressed with their consistent performances in the Asia Cup and Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.In the women’s category, defender Udita Duhan was crowned Player of the Tournament as India emerged as Asia Cup runners-up. Forwards Navneet Kaur and Mumtaz Khan are joint top scorers for the Indian team with 6 goals each, while Rutuja Pisal scored 4 goals, highlighting the depth and potential of India’s attacking line-up.The following are the nominees for TOISA 2025 Ice Hockey:Hockey – MenAbhishek NainDate of birth: August 15, 1999Place of birth: Sonipat, HaryanaSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Champion – Player of the Tournament (6 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runner-upAbhishek Nain had a breakout 2025 season as a forward for the Indian men’s hockey team, becoming one of the team’s most impactful players. He played an important role in India’s Men’s Hockey Asia Cup match at Rajgir in Bihar, scoring six goals and was adjudged the player of the tournament for his performance. Abhishek also played an important role in the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy, scoring three times as India finished runners-up in the prestigious invitational tournament.Harmanpreet SinghDate of birth: January 6, 1996Place of birth: Amritsar, PunjabSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Champion – Captain (6 goals)Harmanpreet Singh led the way as captain of the Indian men’s hockey team to a memorable victory at the Men’s Hockey Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar. Harmanpreet, an excellent defender and one of the best drag specialists in world hockey, once again showed his prowess in penalty corners, scoring 6 goals in the game. His leadership and clinical finishing proved crucial to India’s success, further cementing his reputation as one of the top defenders in the sport.Jugraj SinghDate of birth: December 11, 1996Place of birth: Attari, PunjabSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Champion (4 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runner-up (4 goals)Jugraj Singh has had an impressive 2025 season, playing a key role in India’s Men’s Hockey Asia Cup at Rajgir in Bihar. The defender played an important role in the title campaign, scoring four key goals in the game. He carried this form into the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy where India finished runners-up, again scoring four goals and making a major impact at both ends of the pitch. His consistent performances in both competitions underlined his growing importance to the national team.Amit RohidasDate of birth: May 10, 1993Place of birth: Sundergarh, OdishaSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Champion (2 goals)Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: Runner-up (4 goals)Amit Rohidas has played a vital role as the vice-captain of the Indian men’s hockey team to build a solid foundation for the 2025 campaign. The veteran defender played a vital role in India’s Men’s Hockey Asia Cup clash at Rajgir in Bihar, contributing two crucial goals and organizing the backline with authority. He continued his good form in the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy, scoring four goals to help India finish second. Reliable defensively and efficient offensively, Rohidas played a significant role on both ends of the floor in both competitions.Hockey – WomenUdita DoohanDate of birth: January 14, 1998Place of birth: Hisar, HaryanaSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asia Cup: Runner-up – Player of the Tournament (3 goals)Udita Duhan played an important role in India’s runners-up finish at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The defender was outstanding throughout the game, scoring three goals while anchoring the backline with calmness and authority. Her all-round impact earned her the Player of the Tournament award, underlining the key role she played in India’s impressive campaign.Navneet KaurDate of birth: January 26, 1996Place of Birth: Markhanda, Shahabad, HaryanaSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Runner-up (6 goals)Navneet Kaur put in a stellar performance at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China, playing a key role in India’s runners-up finish. The veteran striker was the team’s joint-top scorer with six goals at the World Cup, leading India all the way to the finals but trailing hosts China.Mumtaz KhanDate of birth: January 15, 2003Place of birth: Lucknow, Uttar PradeshSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Runner-up (6 goals)Mumtaz Khan impressed with her performance at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young forward formed a good attacking partnership with veteran pro Navneet Kaur, with both players scoring six goals each – India’s joint-highest tally at this World Cup. Mumtaz’s contribution was crucial for India to reach the final, where they lost to host China and finished second.Rutuja PisarDate of birth: November 28, 2002Place of birth: Satara, MaharashtraSports: HockeyMain achievements in 2025:Asian Cup: Runner-up (4 goals)Rutuja Pisal emerged as another bright spot in India’s forward line at the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup in Hangzhou, China. The young attacker scored four goals at the World Cup and played a major role in India’s run to the final, where they finished runners-up to hosts China. In early 2025, the native of Satara, Maharashtra had a match-winning performance in the Indian Hockey League, scoring twice to help Odisha Warriors beat Surma Hockey Club 2-1 in the title match.
 will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, celebrating the achievements and inspiring .){kind=link}