• EBEL Ratna Samman conferred on national and global icons including PT Usha, Vijay Goel, and Rt. Hon. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand
• Over 4,000 athletes from 20 states participate in the STAIRS National Games 2025
In a resounding celebration of dedication, vision, and grassroots impact, the STAIRS Foundation, a National Sports Promotion Organization, recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, presented the prestigious EBEL Awards 2025 and STAIRS National Sports Excellence Awards 2025 at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi. The awards were bestowed in the presence of distinguished guest His Excellency Patrick John Rata, High Commissioner of New Zealand to India, Shri Vikram K Porval (IPS), Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offence Wing/EOW), Delhi, ed as the Special guest and Shri Ajit M. Sharan, Chair of the Advisory Board at STAIRS Foundation and former Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. Shri Pankaj Kumar Singh, Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Transportation and Information Technology was invited as the Chief Guest. Shri Sanjay Seth ji, Honourable Minister of State for Defence, sent a video message of his encouragement to the young athletes of STAIRS.
Also present at the ceremony were STAIRS Brand Ambassadors, including acclaimed actor Amit Sadh, international boxer Gaurav Bidhuri, and India’s ‘Push-up Man’ Rohtash Choudhary, who inspired the crowd by reaffirming their commitment to the cause of grassroots sports and youth leadership.
At the heart of the evening were the EBEL Awards, honouring visionary individuals and institutions who have created meaningful change in the fields of sports, education, youth leadership, and social inclusion. Among the top honours, the EBEL Ratna Samman was conferred upon Smt. P. T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association and Pa Shri awardee; Shri Vijay Goel, Vice Chairman Gandhi Smriti, Former Union Sports Minister of India, 4 times MP, Lottery Crusader, and UNESCO Awardee (Heritage); Rt. Hon. Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Shri Shashi Dubey, a renowned spiritual life coach and founder of The Indian School of Natural Spiritual Sciences. These leaders were recognised for their exceptional impact and dedication to youth and societal development.
Recognising innovation and systemic change, the EBEL Utkrisht Samman was awarded to Shri Anandeshwar Pandey, Executive Director of the Handball Federation of India, for his instrumental role in shaping sports governance and infrastructure. In the international category, David Forde, former international footballer, coach, and author, was honoured with the EBEL Utkrisht International Catalyst Samman for his global influence on youth sports and mentorship.
Acknowledging ethical coaching and character building, the EBEL Dronacharya Samman was conferred upon Shri Sheeshpal Rajput, Chairman of the Gujarat State Yog Board. The EBEL Khel Protsahan Samman, which recognises excellence in promoting grassroots sports access and infrastructure, was awarded to Mr. Tahsin Zahid, CEO of the Sports, Physical Education, Fitness & Leisure Sector Skills Council, and to Kanan Devan Hills Plantations Company Private Limited (KDHP), a Tata Consumer Products initiative.
For their exceptional contributions to youth development across education, mental health, skills, and leadership, Shri Yogesh Mishra, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Newstrack, and Shri Navneet Kumar Sehgal, Chairman of Prasar Bharati, were awarded the EBEL Yuva Vikas-Shiromani Samman.
Special Honours were given to Mr. Abhay Ojha, the Chief Executive Officer of iTV Network, Shri Ayush Thakur—a dynamic young entrepreneur and consultant and Dr. Sadhna Dixit, Founder of the World Wellbeing Forum and President of The Indian School of Natural Spiritual Sciences.
The STAIRS National Sports Excellence Community Trailblazer Award was given to Ms Radhika Ojha. Other notable recipients included Sh. Lokmanyu Chaturvedi, honoured as an inspirational coach in eSports; Ms. Swati Shukla, celebrated for empowering women in sports; Dr. Richa Prakash, Principal of DPS Kalyanpur, Kanpur, for excellence in sports leadership; Shri Saurabh Yadav, as the best physical education teacher promoting sports; and Shri Tanishk Singh (aka o), a rising star in eSports.
In parallel, the STAIRS National Sports Excellence Awards 2025 recognised individuals and institutions that have worked relentlessly at the grassroots level to promote sporting talent and culture. From Rajasthan, Shri Sandeep Sargara was awarded as the most active STAIRS coordinator. In the school categories, Jaypee Public School, Noida, was named Best School in Sports Development, and Gaurs International School, Noida, received the Best Sports Infrastructure award. Rising star honours went to K R Mangalam World School, Bahadurgarh, and Prime Scholars International School, Gurugram, while Sanskaar International School, Prayagraj, was lauded as a Grassroots Champion. Seth M. R. Jaipuria School, Padrauna, was recognised for its role in rural sports talent development.
Shri Divyanshu Garg was honoured for best state-level event coordination, while Shri Vivek Samania received recognition for outstanding work in physical education. The award for promoting Taekwondo was presented to Shri Raghvendra Kumar Singh, and Shri Sunil Shinde was celebrated as the best state games organiser from Maharashtra.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Siddhartha Upadhyay, Founder and President of STAIRS Foundation, remarked, “These awards are not just honours—they are recognitions of a movement. A movement rooted in the belief that grassroots efforts can produce Olympic champions and national leaders. Through these awards, we celebrate those shaping the future of India, both on and off the field.” The awards mark a milestone in STAIRS Foundation’s journey to create an equitable and accessible sports ecosystem and underscore its unwavering commitment to India’s vision of becoming a global sporting powerhouse.
On the sidelines, the Talkatora Indoor Stadium in New Delhi roared with energy as STAIRS Foundation inaugurated the Second Edition of the STAIRS Youth National Games alongside the inaugural STAIRS School Games.
The grand opening ceremony was a vibrant spectacle, bringing together over 4,000 young athletes from 20 states, selected from over 400 District games spread across 15 sports disciplines, now ready to win glory on the national stage.