Chandigarh, July 7:- Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the government's goal is not merely to win medals but to build a strong sports culture where talent gets opportunities, hard work is respected, and every young athlete has the confidence to fulfil their dreams. He said the government is not just providing rewards but laying a strong foundation of sporting excellence for a Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
The Chief Minister was addressing a Cash Award Distribution Ceremony organised in honour of the state's outstanding sportspersons at the auditorium of the PWD Rest House, Sector-1, Panchkula, on Tuesday. Minister of State for Sports Gaurav Gautam was also present on the occasion.
During the event, the Chief Minister honoured 198 athletes who won medals or represented the country at major international and national sporting events by distributing cash awards worth Rs 20.59 crore. This included Rs 13.75 crore for 117 athletes who excelled in international competitions, Rs 2.32 crore for 3 athletes who participated in the 2022 Asian Para Games, and Rs 4.52 crore for 78 national-level athletes. He said that over the past nearly 12 years, 16,984 athletes in the state have received cash awards amounting to Rs 709 crore. With today's distribution, the total has reached approximately Rs 730 crore.
Congratulating the award-winning athletes, the Chief Minister said that although the moment of winning a medal lasts only a few minutes, the journey to that moment is the result of years of dedication, discipline and perseverance.
He said India's soil has produced legendary athletes who have taught the world that no matter how difficult the circumstances may be, history can be rewritten with determination. Citing the examples of Milkha Singh, popularly known as the "Flying Sikh," Murlikant Petkar, and Mary Kom, he said their life journeys teach one important lesson—that challenges come in everyone's life, but champions are those who refuse to surrender before them. Instead of allowing adverse circumstances to become the end of their dreams, they transformed them into their greatest strength, inspiration and foundation for success.
Shri Nayab Singh Saini said he is proud that Haryana has consistently produced athletes who have brought glory to India on the global stage. Although Haryana accounts for only about 2 percent of the country's population, its contribution to India's medal tally is more than one-third. Whether it is the Paris Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games or the Commonwealth Games, Haryana's athletes have enhanced India's prestige on every platform. Interacting with the athletes present, he said that in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the medal winners at the 2028, 2032 and 2036 Olympic Games would be among them.
The Chief Minister said the world is entering the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and sports are no exception. Today, AI is analysing athletes' fitness, predicting the possibility of injuries in advance, helping understand opponents' strategies and making training more scientific. He said AI can measure speed, monitor heart rate and analyse techniques, but it can never measure passion, understand patriotism or recreate the emotions reflected in the eyes of an athlete standing on the victory podium with the Indian tricolour draped over their shoulders. He urged athletes to make full use of technology while always preserving their human values, saying the future belongs to those who successfully combine technology with humanity.
Highlighting the major initiatives taken to promote sports in the state, the Chief Minister said that 260 athletes have been provided government jobs under the Haryana Outstanding Sportsperson Recruitment Rules. The government has recently amended the Sports Gradation Policy, enabling athletes participating in the Haryana State Games to receive the benefits of sports gradation. In addition, the monthly honorarium for award-winning athletes has been increased. Under the revised policy, recipients of the Khel Ratna, Dronacharya, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Tenzing Norgay Awards now receive Rs 20,000 per month, while Bhim Award winners receive Rs 5,000 per month.
The Chief Minister said every champion begins their journey from the soil of a village and the playground of a school. Keeping this in mind, the state government has established 2,000 sports nurseries, provides a monthly scholarship of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 to athletes aged 8 to 19 years, and offers Rs 500 per day as diet money to trainees in 25 residential sports academies. He added that over the last 12 years, Rs 1,100 crore has been invested in sports infrastructure, while the Sports Department's budget has increased from Rs 163 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 668.42 crore today. He also informed that North India's first A-Star Scientific Training and Rehabilitation Centre has been established at the Tau Devi Lal Sports Complex, Panchkula, at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
Addressing the gathering, Minister of State for Sports Gaurav Gautam said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Haryana has emerged as a major sports hub. Better sports infrastructure and facilities are being provided to athletes so that they can train hard and excel at national and international competitions, bringing glory to both the state and the country.
He said that under the guidance of the Chief Minister, Mission-2036 has been launched with the target of winning 36 Olympic medals. Keeping this objective in view, athletes are being provided world-class sports facilities. Sports stadium infrastructure is being strengthened with an investment of around Rs 300 crore. He added that Haryana's sports policy is being widely appreciated across the country, and as a result of the policy and the athletes' dedication, Haryana's sportspersons continue to perform exceptionally well at national and international events, bringing laurels to both the state and the nation.
Former Haryana Assembly Speaker Gyan Chand Gupta, Mayor Shyam Lal Bansal, District President Ajay Mittal, BJP State Vice-President Banto Kataria, Director of Sports Parth Gupta, along with athletes and coaches, were also present on the occasion.