A group of 14 -- 10 decorated sportspersons and four journalists -- helped select the contenders, nominees and the final winners of the first ESPN India Awards. Meet the jury.
Abhinav Bindra (shooting) - India's first individual Olympic gold medallist and its most successful shooter, with a competitive career spanning over 15 years. Since retiring in 2016, he has worked with government and non-government bodies in review and policy programmes and set up cutting-edge sports science centres in two cities.
Bhaichung Bhutia (football) - The face of Indian football throughout his 15-year professional career, Bhutia was striker extraordinaire. Captain of India and record goalscorer when he retired, Bhutia has 107 caps and 42 goals for the country. He is currently a commentator, columnist and football expert.
Anju Bobby George (athletics) - India's most successful athlete of the 21st century so far, long jumper Anju Bobby George was the first Indian to win a medal at a World Athletics Championships in Paris 2003. Two years later, she won gold at the World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo 2005, to go with her Asian Games and Asian Championship gold medals, and is still the national record-holder in the event. She is currently involved in the government's sports promotion campaigns and heads the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.
Manisha Malhotra (tennis) - National champion, a member of India's Fed Cup team as well as an Asian Games silver medallist, Malhotra has followed up her successful playing career by playing an active part in supporting India's athletes. She was in charge of the Mittal Champions' Trust, one of the first private non-profit organisations set up to assist elite Indian athletes.
Venkatesan Devarajan (boxing) - Winner of the bronze at the 1994 Boxing World Cup in Bangkok, Devarajan was India's first World Cup boxing medallist outside the country. A multiple-time national champion, he is currently a coach and one of the best boxing analysts in India.
Somdev Devvarman (tennis) - Davis Cupper, double gold medallist at the Asian Games in Guangzhou 2010 and gold medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, Devvarman played professional tennis for nine years, with a career-high singles ranking of 62. He is currently an entrepreneur-philanthropist working with underprivileged schoolchildren in Chennai.
Nisha Millet (swimming) - Millet was the first Indian woman to go under a minute in the 100m freestyle and was to dominate swimming in India through the 1990s. Her records in the 200m and 400m freestyle stayed for 15 years, and she represented India in the Asian Games, World Championships and the Olympics in Sydney 2000. Since retiring in 2004, she has coached the next generation of young swimmers at her academy.
Jagdish Kaliraman (wrestling) - Kaliraman belongs to one of the most illustrious families in Indian wrestling and represented India at Asian and World Championships. Son of the legendary Chandgi Ram, Jagdish won a gold at the Islamabad South Asian Games in 2004. After his retirement from competitive wrestling, he is now a well-respected coach and wrestling commentator.
Aparna Popat (badminton) - A forerunner to the most successful generation of Indian women badminton players, Popat was a silver medallist at the World Junior Championships and nine-time national champion, who remained undefeated in the event until her retirement in 2006. She was ranked No. 16 in the world at her peak, won a silver medal in the women's singles at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and bronze medals in Manchester and Melbourne. Today, she is a well-recognised badminton commentator.
Jagbir Singh (hockey) - The former India hockey striker was part of the Indian team for two Olympics (Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992) and two Asian Games in a career lasting 11 years from 1985 to 1996. He went on to become a respected commentator, columnist and one of the world's leading thinkers in modern hockey.
Rohit Brijnath - A sports writer with The Straits Times in Singapore and co-author of Abhinav Bindra's autobiography 'A Shot at History', Brijnath's is the byline Indian sports fans look for when following a story.
Jayaditya Gupta - Executive editor, ESPN India and ESPNcricinfo.
Sharda Ugra - Senior editor, ESPN India and ESPNcricinfo.
Debayan Sen - Senior assistant editor, ESPN India.