How many athletes received the Arjuna Award at the National Sports Awards 2025 ceremony, and what was notable about the composition?
- 25 athletes — majority from Olympic sports
- 32 athletes — record 17 were para-athletes
- 40 athletes — included first-time categories like yogasana
- 28 athletes — fewer than previous year due to strict eligibility criteria
Answer: 32 athletes in total — with a record 17 being para-athletes, reflecting India's best-ever Paralympic performance at Paris 2024
Thirty-two Arjuna Awards were given at the 17 January 2025 ceremony. Seventeen of these went to para-athletes — an unprecedented proportion — driven by India's historic 29-medal haul (7 gold, 9 silver, 13 bronze) at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, which was India's best-ever performance at the Paralympic Games.