When you think of a “national awards ceremony,” you probably think of cricket, movies, or maybe some CEO winning a trophy. But what if we told you that it’s also about celebrating India’s mind sport and it had Shikhar Dhawan handing out medals?
Yes, you read it right. Welcome to the National Poker Series (NPS) India 2025’s ‘Night of Glory’, the ultimate celebration of brain and strategy.
The Stats Are Wild—And So Is THE MEDAL TALLY
With over 600,000 entries, 573 medal winners, and INR 108+ crore in prize money, it was intense! The NPS India 2025, hosted on PokerBaazi, went on for 29 days of non-stop strategy, skill, and mind-bending play.
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And when it all came to a grand close, it did so in full style with the Night of Glory awards ceremony. And mind you, the ceramony wasn’t just about awards and speeches, it brought the house down with performances by stand-up comic Gaurav Kapoor, trippy jazz-rock band Submarine in Space, and DJ Sukhbir, who turned the celebration into an actual party.
Shikhar Dhawan Steals The Show
Cricket icon Shikhar Dhawan took centre stage at the awards night, and not just for photos. His presence highlighted the skills you need to crush it at Poker like patience, strategy, and that mental edge are the very same ones he’s relied on throughout his career.
And honestly, it makes total sense. After all, Poker is now officially recognised by the International Mind Sports Association as a mind sport.
Meet The Champions Who Crushed It
Meet Bhanuprakash KC from Karnataka, who topped both the India Leaderboard and Series Leaderboard, officially making him the name to watch in Indian Poker right now.
The Main Event brought even more drama, with Delhi’s Bhavye Mittal bagging the gold (and INR 94.26 lakh), followed by Dhruvin Kothari from Gujarat (silver, INR 82.11 lakh) and Pratik Manjrekar from Maharashtra (bronze, INR 60.64 lakh).
A State-Wise Showdown Like Never Before
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As if things weren’t already heated enough, NPS 2025 is taking things up a notch with the ongoing National Poker Champion Showdown, happening from April 13 to 17 in Goa.
Here’s the deal: the top 12 players, each a state topper, will battle it out for the ultimate title. And if that wasn’t enough to raise the stakes, the winner will unlock an INR 1 crore freeroll for players from his state. That’s right, win big, and your whole state wins too.
Oh, and did we mention the entire thing is being broadcast on Jiohotstar? Yeah, the whole nation will watch these players fighting for the ultimate glory.
Final Thoughts
The National Poker Series India has grown into a platform for players looking to turn their skills into medals, rewards, and serious recognition. Whether you’re a Poker pro or someone who loves a good underdog story, this was the night to remember.
And with names like Shikhar Dhawan backing it, and record-breaking numbers to match, Poker is clearly no longer just a game, it’s a sport of the mind, and India’s playing to win.
