Haryana Honours 132 Athletes with Rs. 189.38 Crore at State-Level Ceremony in Bhiwani

Asian Games and Para Asian Games Achievers Recognised for Bringing Glory to India

Bhiwani’s Bhim Stadium to Get Rs. 50 Crore Upgrade with Modern Facilities: CM

 Chandigarh, 

Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Friday honoured 132 athletes with cash awards totalling Rs. 189.38 crore at a state-level ceremony in Bhiwani to recognise their achievements at the Asian Games and Para Asian Games.

Addressing the joint felicitation ceremony at Bhim Stadium, the Chief Minister said a medal takes only moments to place around an athlete’s neck, but earning it demands a lifetime of dedication. Behind every medal are years of training, countless sacrifices and the courage to rise again after defeat.

 The applause in Bhiwani, he said, celebrated not just the medals but also the years of perseverance and unwavering resolve that had raised India’s Tricolour high at sporting arenas across Asia.

Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of eight development projects worth Rs. 142 crore in Bhiwani. These included the inauguration of six projects costing Rs. 133.66 crore and the laying of foundation stones for two projects costing Rs. 8.46 crore.

The Chief Minister said being among the sporting stars filled him with pride. Congratulating the athletes for bringing glory to the country and the state, he said the recognition also honoured the sacrifice and dedication of their parents, teachers, coaches and support staff.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said India had finished fourth at the Asian Games with 85 medals, of which Haryana’s athletes contributed 32, including 14 gold medals. Two out of every three gold medals won by India had come from Haryana’s athletes, he said.

India also recorded its best-ever performance at the Para Asian Games with 114 medals. Haryana’s para-athletes won 31 medals, including nine gold medals, accounting for nearly 30 per cent of the country’s gold tally.

 The Chief Minister said several athletes from Haryana had distinguished themselves at these Games. Ankush Panghal and Parveen Hooda won gold medals in boxing. The men’s and women’s hockey teams won gold medals and secured qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, with Haryana’s players contributing significantly to both teams. India’s wrestling performance was its best at the Asian Games since 1962, while the gold medal victories of Sumit Antil and Pranav Soorma in para-sports thrilled the nation.

 Bhiwani’s Boxing Legacy Takes Centre Stage

The Chief Minister said the ceremony held special significance in Bhiwani, whose reputation as ‘Mini Cuba’ reflected its contribution to Indian boxing. Boxers such as Vijender Singh, Akhil Kumar, Jitender Kumar, Nitu Ghanghas, Jaismine Lamboria, Preeti Pawar, Sakshi Chaudhary and Priya Ghanghas had brought the district recognition on the world stage.

Behind these achievements, he said, were dedicated coaches and families who had nurtured their children’s dreams even while toiling in the fields. Circumstances might determine an athlete’s starting point, but hard work and determination shaped the destination.

Haryana’s sporting strength now extended beyond any one district or discipline, he said. Its athletes were proving themselves in wrestling, boxing, hockey, kabaddi, athletics, shooting, archery and para-sports. The state’s daughters, too, were excelling across sporting arenas, winning medals and inspiring the next generation.

 Cash Awards and Government Jobs to Secure Athletes’ Future

The Chief Minister said the 132 athletes were being presented with cash awards worth Rs. 189.38 crore. Eligible athletes were also receiving offer letters for government jobs under Haryana’s sports policy.

When athletes brought honour to the nation, the country and the state had a responsibility to protect their dignity, secure their future and support their dreams, he said. The government was committed to ensuring recognition, financial security and opportunities for every such athlete.

Under Haryana’s outstanding sportspersons recruitment rules, 260 outstanding athletes had so far been appointed to Group A, B and C government posts.

He said the sports gradation policy had recently been amended to include athletes participating in the Haryana State Games, helping them access government jobs and other opportunities. A provision for advance financial assistance had also been introduced for athletes preparing for international competitions so that a shortage of funds did not interrupt their training.

Haryana’s Cash Awards Reach Rs. 931 Crore for 17,676 Athletes

The Chief Minister said support for athletes went beyond cash awards for medals. Monthly honorariums for award-winning sportspersons had also been increased.

Khel Ratna, Dronacharya, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Tenzing Norgay awardees were now receiving Rs. 20,000 a month, while Bhim Award recipients were receiving Rs. 5,000 a month. Including the awards presented at the ceremony, Haryana had disbursed Rs. 931 crore in cash awards to 17,676 athletes.

He said an athlete’s journey to the podium began in village fields, school playgrounds and early training sessions. To identify and nurture talent at an early stage, the state had established 2,000 sports nurseries.

These provided for monthly scholarships of Rs. 1,500 for athletes aged eight to 14 and Rs. 2,000 for those aged 15 to 19. The state had also opened 25 residential sports academies, where athletes were receiving a daily diet allowance of Rs. 500.

 Rs. 1,100 Crore Invested in Sports Infrastructure

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said world-class performances required world-class facilities. Haryana had spent approximately Rs. 1,100 crore on sports infrastructure over the past 12 years, while the Sports Department’s budget had risen from Rs. 163 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 668.42 crore.

The ‘A-STAR’ advanced scientific training and rehabilitation centre had been established at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex in Panchkula at a cost of approximately Rs. 10 crore. It provided scientific support to help athletes recover from injuries and improve performance, strengthening both training and recovery.

The Chief Minister said modern sport tested technology, science and strategy as much as physical strength. Video analysis, modern sensors, sports science, proper nutrition and scientific recovery methods were helping athletes improve their performance.

For para-athletes, modern prosthetic limbs, adapted equipment and accessible training facilities were opening up new possibilities. The government was working to extend these facilities beyond major cities so that every hardworking athlete had an opportunity to develop their talent.

He said Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi had emphasised sport as a means of public participation and nation-building. Khelo India and Fit India had helped raise awareness of sports and create opportunities for young people. Haryana was carrying that effort forward by strengthening sports nurseries, training facilities, support for coaches and incentives for athletes.

CM Urges Haryana’s Youth to Choose Sport over Drugs

Calling upon young athletes to recognise their growing responsibility, the Chief Minister said they were role models for thousands of children who saw a future in sports through their achievements.

Their success showed that hard work, discipline and proper guidance could make even the most ambitious goals achievable. Playing fields taught discipline and kept young people away from drugs, he said, urging a collective resolve to connect every young person in Haryana with sport rather than substance abuse.

The Chief Minister said Haryana would complete 60 years of its formation in two days, and its athletes could offer the state no greater gift than their achievements.

Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, too, recognised the strength of Haryana’s athletes. Speaking in Jind in July, he had expressed confidence that the state’s sons and daughters would continue to excel on every stage.

The Chief Minister said India would host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and was preparing for the 2036 Olympics. Athletes had a responsibility to fulfil the Prime Minister’s expectations, while the government was responsible for providing them with every facility they needed.

He expressed confidence that Haryana’s athletes would raise India’s Tricolour high at the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Olympics and bring further glory to the state.

 Athletes Are Haryana’s Pride; Their Success Will Inspire Others- Shruti Choudhry

Irrigation Minister Smt. Shruti Choudhry described athletes as the state’s pride and crowning glory, saying their achievements would inspire other young people.

She said Bhim Stadium was closely connected to her family’s memories and the region’s sporting heritage. Her father, Chaudhary Surender Singh, had laid its foundation stone and used to visit it for morning practice. Athletes have since given the stadium a new identity through their hard work and achievements.

Welcoming Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini to Bhiwani, she said local athletes had risen from rural backgroundsthrough discipline and dedication, earning recognition across Haryana and the country and bringing glory to India internationally.

Smt. Shruti Choudhry urged the Chief Minister to expand Bhim Stadium further and equip it with modern facilities. Its athletes had already proved their talent and could now inspire more children to take up sports, she said.

 Haryana’s Athletes Have Rewritten the Rules of Success: Gaurav Gautam

Minister of State for Sports Sh. Gaurav Gautam said Haryana’s athletes had overturned the old saying that studies led to success while sports led to ruin. Through their hard work and talent, they had proved that sport, too, offered a path to excellence.

The state’s athletes were raising India’s Tricolour at international competitions and inspiring young people, he said.

Under Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini’s leadership, athletes were being honoured with cash awards running into crores of rupees in a single day for the first time in Haryana’s sporting history, he said. They were also being appointed to Group A, B and C government posts. The government treated all athletes equally and extended the same recognition and encouragement to everyone.

Sh. Gaurav Gautam said the Chief Minister had set a target of 36 medals for Haryana’s athletes under Mission Olympics 2036. Haryana was the first state to launch a dedicated plan with this goal.

The state government was providing assistance of up to Rs. 5 lakh to prepare for international competitions, health insurance coverage of up to Rs. 20 lakh, better coaching and diet allowances. Arrangements were also being made to offer athletes subsidised loans of up to Rs. 5 crore.

He said Haryana’s sports nurseries were bringing more young people into sports, while the Central Government’s TOPS scheme and Khelo India initiative were creating further opportunities for athletes.

Urging the Chief Minister to develop Bhim Stadium to national and international standards, he said Bhiwani had given India athletes such as Nitu, Sakshi, Akhil and Vijender, who had earned the country recognition across the world.

 Cabinet Minister Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, MP Sh. Dharambir Singh, Bhiwani MLA Sh. Ghanshyam Saraf, MLA Sh. Kapoor Singh Valmiki, MLA Sh. Umed Singh Patuwas, former minister Sh. J.P. Dalal, Principal Secretary, Sports Department, Smt. Amneet P. Kumar, Director, Sh. Parth Gupta, and other dignitaries were present.