Indian women’s hockey player and Olympian Lalremsiami Hmar created history on November 13 by becoming the first sportsperson from Mizoram to receive the prestigious Arjuna Award.
The 26-year-old was among 17 athletes selected for the Arjuna Award 2025 by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on August 18. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award to her at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
Hailing from Kolasib district in northern Mizoram, Lalremsiami developed an interest in hockey at an early age. Recognising her talent, her teachers encouraged her to pursue the sport professionally.
She joined the state-run hockey academy in Thenzawl in 2011, when she was just 11 years old. In 2016, she moved to the National Hockey Academy in New Delhi to further develop her skills.
Lalremsiami made her national debut at the Junior Nehru Hockey Tournament in October 2011. She was later selected for India’s Under-18 team for the 2016 Asian Cup and earned her first call-up to the senior national team in 2017. That year, she was also part of India’s victorious Asia Cup squad.
Over the years, she established herself as a key member of the Indian women’s hockey team and represented the country at several major international tournaments. One of the highlights of her career was competing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, where India finished fourth. She also became the first woman from Mizoram to participate in the Olympic Games.
Her dedication to the national team came into focus in 2019 when she chose to remain with the Indian squad for the FIH Women’s Series in Japan despite the death of her father, Lalthansanga Zote. India went on to win the tournament and secure qualification for the Tokyo Olympics.
In 2020, Lalremsiami became the first Indian woman hockey player to receive the International Hockey Federation’s Women’s Rising Star of the Year award.
Her other achievements include a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Games, Asian Champions Trophy titles in 2023 and 2024, and gold at the 2026 Asian Games.
The Mizoram government had earlier announced a cash reward of ₹40 lakh each for Lalremsiami and fellow Mizo player Lalthantluangi in recognition of their contribution to the Indian women’s hockey team, which won gold at the Asian Games on October 2.
