Indian Athletes Who Have Won Major International Sports Awards and Recognitions

Indian athletes who have won major international sports awards and recognitions represent global excellence, breaking historical barriers and inspiring future generations across diverse competitive disciplines.

Global Sports Honors and Nominations

Laureus World Sports Awards

• Vinesh Phogat made history in 2019 as the first Indian athlete nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award following her successful return to competitive wrestling after a severe injury.
• Neeraj Chopra earned a nomination for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award in 2024 following his historic gold medal performance at the World Athletics Championships.

International Federation Accolades

• Rani Rampal became the first hockey player globally to win the World Games Athlete of the Year Award in 2020.
• Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran won the World Games Athlete of the Year Award in 2021 for his stellar performance in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
• Mary Kom received the International Boxing Association Legend Award in 2016 for her unparalleled contribution to women’s boxing.

Olympic Orders and IOC Recognitions

Olympic Order

• Indira Gandhi was awarded the Silver Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee in 1983 for her contributions to organizing the Asian Games in New Delhi.
• Narinder Batra received the Olympic Order in 2022 from the International Olympic Committee for services to sports administration.

IOC Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award

• Pullela Gopichand was honored with the International Olympic Committee Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 for developing world-class badminton players.

Comparative Overview of International Sports Honors

• Abhinav Bindra received the Blue Cross from the International Shooting Sport Federation in 2018, which is the highest honor conferred by the global shooting body.
• Viswanathan Anand was the first Indian sportsperson to receive the Soviet Land Nehru Award in 1987 and earned multiple Chess Oscar trophies.
• Sachin Tendulkar received the Laureus Sporting Moment Award for the year 2011 to 2020, celebrating the tribute paid by the Indian cricket team carrying him on their shoulders after winning the World Cup.
• The Badminton World Federation presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Prakash Padukone in 2024 for his pioneering contributions to the sport.
• Anju Bobby George received the Woman of the Year Award from World Athletics in 2021 for her dedication to sports development and nurturing young talent in India.