SSI National Sports Awards 2026: Something Big Is Coming to Bhubaneswar This December
SSI National Sports Awards 2026
Something big is coming to Bhubaneswar this December but for now, the names behind the spotlight remain a mystery.
The SSI National Sports Awards 2026 is set to take place on December 5, 2026, at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, bringing together the world of Indian sport for an evening of recognition and celebration.
SSI has not yet revealed the athletes and other recipients who will be honoured at this year’s event. The details are being kept under wraps, leaving sports fans with one question who will make the list this time?
While the names are still a secret, the nomination process is already open.
SSI National Sports Awards: A journey of recognising sporting excellence
The 2026 awards continue SSI’s existing journey of recognising people who have contributed to Indian sport in different ways.
The official SSI Sports National Awards platform features awardee records from previous editions, including 2023 and 2024, alongside its coverage of the 2025 celebration. The awards have recognised athletes, coaches, teams, institutions, journalists and other contributors to the sporting ecosystem.
The idea goes beyond simply celebrating medals and victories. SSI’s awards have also sought to acknowledge the people and efforts that help sport grow from grassroots coaching and athlete development to sports journalism and sports administration.
And this year, that journey continues with a new set of nominations.
SSI National Sports Awards 2026: The awards up for nomination
The official 2026 nomination form currently lists 13 award categories, covering individual athletes, teams, coaches, sports development and sports journalism.
SSI Karna Award
Named after Karna from the Mahabharata, who is described in the SSI awards material as a gifted warrior known for his vigour and valour, this award is intended to honour the vigour and valour of a sportsperson. The awardee is selected by the editorial board of SSI Fanzine.
Milkha Singh Sprint Champion
Named after legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh, the award recognises male sportspersons from the Services. The award draws inspiration from Milkha Singh’s career in Indian athletics, including his Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Dilip Tirkey Hockey Player
This award celebrates excellence in hockey while drawing on the legacy of former Indian captain Dilip Tirkey. The award recognises players who demonstrate qualities associated with Tirkey’s career, including tenacity, discipline and dedication, while also reflecting his contribution to developing future hockey talent.
Paika Team Award
Inspired by the Paikas of Odisha, this team award pays tribute to the fearlessness associated with the Paika community and the Paika Rebellion of 1817.
SSI Female Sprint Champion
The award recognises female sprinters who demonstrate exceptional skill at national and international level. SSI’s award description connects the honour with its commitment to promoting sprinting and developing sprinting culture in India.
SSI Lifetime Achievement
This award pays tribute to the lasting contribution of sports legends. SSI describes it as a recognition of the memories, legacy and spirit that sporting figures leave behind even after their competitive careers end.
SSI Emerging Player of the Year
The award focuses on upcoming sporting talent. SSI describes it as part of its effort to encourage young athletes and support them through both victory and defeat.
SSI Grassroot Coach
Grassroots coaches often work with limited resources while helping young athletes develop discipline, resilience and sporting skills. The award recognises their contribution to building the foundation of India’s future sporting talent.
SSI Best Coach
SSI describes coaches as the often-unseen figures behind sporting success acting not only as trainers but also as mentors, teachers and role models. This award is dedicated to recognising their contribution to athlete and sports development.
SSI Sports Development
This award recognises individuals, organisations or associations contributing to the development and promotion of sports in India, including work involving training, events, infrastructure and sports promotion from grassroots to elite levels.
SSI Sports Journalism
The award recognises impactful sports articles, news reports, columns and journalism that contribute to sports culture and give a voice to athletes and sporting stories.
Best National Sports Federation
This award recognises a federation’s contribution to the development, promotion and success of sports in India, including governance, innovative practices and programmes that help raise sporting standards.
SSI Shakti Singh Throwers
The 2026 nomination platform lists this category for promising throwers, adding another athletics-focused recognition to this year’s awards.
Who will receive the awards in 2026?
That is the part SSI is not revealing yet.
The nomination categories are public, but the eventual recipients and other major details of the 2026 ceremony have not been announced in the material currently available.
That leaves plenty of room for anticipation as December approaches.
Will a familiar name return to the spotlight? Will a rising athlete break through? Or will an unexpected sporting story take centre stage?
For now, SSI is leaving those answers for later.
Nominate your sports star for SSI National Sports Awards 2026
Sports fans can participate by submitting a nomination through the official SSI Sports National Awards 2026 nomination form.
The form asks nominators to select an award category and provide the nominee or team name, sport, key achievements from 2023–2025 and a justification for the nomination. Nominators are also asked to provide their own name, relationship with the nominee and contact details.
SSI National Sports Awards 2026 : Nomination Form
You can also use the QR code featured on the official SSI Sports Awards promotional poster to access the nomination process.
So, if you believe an athlete, team, coach or other sporting contributor deserves recognition, this is your opportunity to put their name forward.
December 5: Kalinga Stadium awaits
The stage is set for another chapter in the SSI Sports National Awards journey.
SSI National Sports Awards 2026
Date: Saturday, December 5, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
The awardees remain undisclosed. The biggest announcements are still to come.But the nominations are open, and the countdown has already begun.Something big is coming to Bhubaneswar this December.
Who will be under the spotlight?
Stay connected with SSI Fanzine for the next reveal.
