NEW DELHI: India's biggest and brightest sporting stars will be under one roof at the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2023 which will be held in Lucknow on February 23, 2024.
Honouring the top Indian athletes and their relentless pursuit for excellence, the sixth edition of TOISA will be award the stars who shone the brightest in 2023.
The theme of the awards -- #MoreSweatMoreGlory -- is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of our athletes and para-athletes across different sports.
The assessment period for the awards was from January 1 to December 31, 2023 and the list of award winners was drawn by the eminent TOISA 2023 Jury chaired by Adille Sumariwalla, who heads the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and is the vice-president of World Athletics.
Under the chairmanship of Adille, the TOISA 2023 Jury comprised of former long-jumper and senior vice-president of AFI, Anju Bobby George; badminton coach and two-time Padma awardee Pullela Gopichand; Olympic medal-winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt; Olympic medallist shooter and Indian Olympic Association vice-president Gagan Narang; Paralympic medallist and Padma Shri awardee Deepa Malik; Olympic medal-winning weightlifter Karnam Malleswari; and Zafar Iqbal, member of India's gold medal-winning hockey team at the 1980 Olympics.
Here's a look at the hockey stars (men and women) nominated for the award.
Men
Date of Birth: 23/09/1988
Place of Birth: Khusropur, Kaputhala
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023
Asian Champions Trophy winner
Asian Games Gold Medallist
FIH Player of the Year
The attacking midfielder, who was injured during the World Cup, came back as a more complete player under coach Craig Fulton and went on to be crowned the FIH Men's Player of the Year.
Harmanpreet Singh
Date of Birth: 6/1/1996
Place of Birth: Amritsar
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023
Asian Champions Trophy winner
Asian Games Gold Medallist
The Indian skipper rediscovered his drag-flick form after a disastrous World Cup and led the team to titles at the Asian Champions Trophy and the Asian Games.
Manpreet Singh
DOB: 26/06/1992
Place of Birth: Mithapur, Jalandhar (Punjab)
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023
- Asian Games gold
- Asian Champions Trophy gold
- Paris 2024 Olympics qualification
After an inconsistent 2022, former India captain and playmaker Manpreet Singh rediscovered himself in 2023 to return to form following the World Cup setback where India failed to reach the quarter-finals. Manpreet raised his game over the next 12 months, with his noted performances coming chiefly during India's unbeaten gold medal-winning campaign at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, after the Asian Champions Trophy triumph at home.
Women
DOB: 08/12/1993
Place of Birth: Khunti, Bihar
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023:
- Asian Games bronze
- Asian Champions Trophy gold
Senior pro Nikki Pradhan crossed the milestone of 150 international caps in 2023. While she has helped the team earn a lot of laurels, including the Asian Games bronze and Asian Champions Trophy title last year, the team's journey to the last-four stage of the Tokyo Olympics is still one of the best memories for the seasoned defender.
Salima Tete
DOB: 27/12/2001
Place of Birth: Simdega, Jharkhand
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023:
- Asian Games bronze
- Asian Champions Trophy gold
Having developed into a formidable midfielder with ability to control the tempo of the game, Salima continued to demonstrate skills at the top level in 2023, highlighted by her versatility and seamless transitioning between offensive and defensive responsibilities. The immense potential with which she arrived on the international scene grew further in 2023, promising a bright future for her, which will benefit the Indian team in the years to come.
Savita
DOB: 11/07/1990
Place of Birth: Sirsa, Haryana
Sport: Hockey
Major Achievements in 2023:
- Asian Games bronze
- Asian Champions Trophy gold
Though the team failed to earn a direct qualification to Paris Olympics at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, the team's captain and goalkeeper Savita continued to perform at the top of her game. The defeat against China in the Asiad semis will rankle for a while, but she got the team together to return with a bronze and then clinched the Asian Champions Trophy at home. Savita remained outstanding in the goalpost, making crucial saves and ensuring a strong defensive foundation for the Indian team.
