SHILLONG : Mizoram’s Lalremsiami Hmar has been selected for the Arjuna Award 2025, making her the first sportsperson from the state to receive the prestigious national sporting honour.
The Indian women’s hockey player is among 17 athletes selected for this year’s Arjuna Award by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Lalremsiami, from Kolasib district, has been a regular member of the Indian women’s hockey team since making her senior international debut in 2017.
Her career includes an Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020, where she became the first woman from Mizoram to compete at the Games.
She has also represented India at several major international tournaments, including the World Cup and Asian Games.
At the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Lalremsiami was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal. She later helped India secure a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The Arjuna Award adds another national recognition to a career that has taken the Mizo player from a small town in Mizoram to the highest levels of international hockey.
Hockey India congratulated Lalremsiami along with fellow Indian hockey player Rajkumar Pal, who has also been selected for the 2025 Arjuna Award.
The selection has also been welcomed in Mizoram, with Chief Minister Lalduhoma congratulating the player and describing her achievement as a matter of pride for the state.
Lalremsiami has previously broken several milestones for Mizoram in sport. Her Olympic appearance made her the state’s first woman Olympian, while her Asian Games medal-winning performances further established her as one of the state’s leading athletes.
The Arjuna Award recognises sporting achievement as well as qualities including discipline, leadership and sportsmanship.
The award will be presented at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
