Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly Express Joy Over Their Arjuna Award Nominations

Indian badminton doubles players Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly experienced a momentous day on Tuesday, receiving the prestigious Arjuna Award for 2025 and advancing to the Round of 16 at the BWF World Championships 2026 in New Delhi. The announcement of the award, which honors outstanding athletes, was made earlier in the day, recognizing the duo among 17 distinguished sportspersons. Later that evening, they celebrated their achievement with a decisive victory over the American pair of Lauren Lam and Allison Lee in the Round of 32 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

Expressing her joy over the award, Gayatri shared, "Feels amazing, super grateful. It feels very special. I just feel very proud and I'm just feeling very happy." When asked if she had spoken to her father, the renowned badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, she mentioned, "I haven't talked to Gopi sir yet, but the whole family just said congrats, and they are very happy."

Similarly, Treesa reflected on the significance of the recognition for her family, stating, "I think it's immense; I'm so happy. It was a dream of my father's to get an Arjuna Award, so he just called me and said like, 'Yeah, you got the Arjuna Award', and I'm so happy that it's coming home soon."

The duo's award comes as a testament to their consistent performances on the international stage, with Gayatri's achievement also holding a personal connection, as her father received the same honor in 1999. Later in the day, they continued their celebrations on the court, defeating Lam and Lee with a score of 21-15, 21-12 in their Round of 32 match.

After the match, Gayatri commented on their performance, noting, "The courts were like very much like yesterday, a bit tricky, but I think we just wanted to adapt quickly and not get too frustrated. As soon as we got to know how the shuttle was moving, I think we could play our game better. We were pretty aggressive today, which worked in our favour, so yeah, really happy [with the win]."

This victory secured a place for Treesa and Gayatri in the women's doubles Round of 16 at the World Championships, which are being hosted in India for the first time since 2009. Their success provided a bright spot for India's women's doubles campaign, especially following the earlier elimination of Kavipriya Selvam and Simran Singhi, who lost to the Bulgarian sisters Stefani and Gabriela Stoeva.

The National Sports Awards, which include the Arjuna Award, recognize athletes for their sustained excellence over the past four years, as well as their leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline. Other recipients of the award this year include athletes from various sports, highlighting the diverse talent in Indian sports.