Eldhose Paul and Treesa Jolly win Kerala's G.V. Raja Awards for the best athletes

12 October 2026

Kerala announced the G.V. Raja Awards for 2025-26, given in 14 fields covering lifetime contribution, the best athletes and coaches.
Triple jumper Eldhose Paul won in the men's section for performances that include a Commonwealth Games gold, and badminton player Treesa Jolly won in the women's section for an Asian Women's Championship gold, a Commonwealth Games team silver, a women's doubles bronze and an Asian mixed team bronze.
The award for the best athletes carries ₹3 lakh with a plaque and a certificate.
The Olympian Suresh Babu Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award, carrying ₹2 lakh with a plaque and certificate, went to Dr. P.T. Joseph, and Anoop Joseph was chosen the best sports coach, an award of ₹1 lakh with a plaque and certificate.
Other winners are Dr. C.S. Sadanandan as the best college sports teacher, Edwin Paul Sibi and P. Anamika as sports hostel athletes, Ajay Ben of Malayala Manorama as the best sports journalist, Sravan Krishna of Asianet News for a visual media programme, K.K. Santhosh of Mathrubhumi for photography and B.T. Sijin for the sports book 'Unaru Aradhakare Unaru'.
Para powerlifter Jobi Mathew and former India footballer Victor Manjila received special recognition.
The winners were chosen by a committee of Olympians Anju Bobby George, P.R. Sreejesh, Dr. Binu George Varghese and Sanil P. Thomas with the Sports Department's Special Secretary and Director.