Hockey India Awards: Navneet, Hardik Named Players Of The Year; Zafar Iqbal Gets Lifetime Achievement Award
International stars Navneet Kaur and Hardik Singh were named Players of the Year, while former India captain Zafar Iqbal, a member of the 1980 Olympic gold medal-winning team, was honoured with the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hockey India 8th Annual Awards in New Delhi on Friday.
The ceremony was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Labour and Employment, and Raksha Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports. Olympians Harbinder Singh, Aslam Sher Khan, Zafar Iqbal, Vineet Kumar, M P Singh, Jagbir Singh, Mir Ranjan Negi, Pritam Rani Siwach, Sita Mehta, Mamta Kharb, and Rani were also present.
The award presenters for the evening included Jugraj Singh, Asunta Lakra, Baljit Singh, Pargat Singh, Ajit Pal Singh, and Saroj Sharma, who joined players, officials, and member unit representatives to celebrate Indian hockey’s finest.
Navneet Kaur and Hardik Singh were honoured with the prestigious Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2025 (Rs 20 lakh each) in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively. Zafar Iqbal, who played an integral role in India’s gold medal win at the 1980 Moscow Olympics and also secured two Asian Games silver medals (1978, 1982) and a bronze at the 1982 Champions Trophy, received the Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award (Rs 25 lakh).
Earlier in the day, Raghu Prasad RV was honoured for being named the FIH Umpire of the Year 2025, while Ishika was recognised for scoring on her debut against Uruguay during the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in Hyderabad. Deepika received the Poligras Magic Skill Award, while Abhishek was named Player of the Tournament at the Asia Cup 2025 in Rajgir, Bihar.
