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Punjab: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today presented prize money worth Rs 32.05 crore to 87 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award-winning athletes and 1,070 medal winners during the biggest sporting extravaganza in Punjab’s history. On the occasion, the Chief Minister made sweeping announcements for sports in the province, from villages to international sports arenas.

What did CM Mann say on the emerging sports power? 

Describing Punjab as an emerging sports power, the Chief Minister said that the Punjab government not only honored Olympic and Asian Games medalists with Rs. 1 crore each but also provided jobs to nine athletes. For the first time, 220 athletes received financial assistance of Rs. 8.61 crore directly through their bank accounts for tournament preparation.

Referring to the decisive change in the field of sports during a function held at the Municipal Bhawan in Sector-35 here today, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a historic sports budget of Rs 1,763 crore for the year 2026-27 and development of 3,148 rural sports grounds at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore to nurture sports talent at the grassroots level.

The Chief Minister further stated that Punjab will host the Asian Championship Trophy for the first time, with an exciting India-Pakistan match scheduled for Punjab Day on November 1st. Taking a jab at previous governments, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that despite Punjab producing countless champions for the country, the state had never been given the opportunity to host a major sporting event. He said that sports associations were dominated by politically connected individuals rather than genuine athletes.

What did the CM say while addressing the felicitation ceremony? 

Addressing the glittering felicitation ceremony, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the day was a historic moment for Punjab as 87 sportspersons were honored with the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, while 1,070 medal winners from various sports were also honored. He said, “For the first time in Punjab’s history, the government has distributed prize money worth Rs 32.05 crore among the sportspersons. The Punjab government has not only honored Olympic and Asian Games medalists with Rs 1 crore each, but has also provided jobs to nine medal-winning athletes.”

The Chief Minister said, “The players of Punjab have brought great pride to the country and the state through their achievements at the international level. It is our responsibility to stand firmly with them and ensure that they get the respect, recognition and support they deserve.”

Referring to the Punjab government’s approach to sports, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that for the first time, 220 athletes from Punjab were given Rs 8.61 crore to prepare for sports competitions. He further said, “The Punjab government has allocated a record sports budget of Rs 1,763 crore for the financial year 2026-27 for sports infrastructure and athlete development across the state. To nurture talented athletes in villages, 3,148 rural sports grounds are being developed at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore. These grounds will become a beacon for budding athletes from villages.”

The Chief Minister said that Punjab will host the Asian Championship Trophy for the first time, calling it a proud moment for the state’s sporting heritage. He further announced that the much-awaited India-Pakistan match during the tournament will be held on Punjab Day. He said, “Punjab has given countless medals and champions to the country, yet previous governments never ensured that the state had the opportunity to host major international sporting events. We have changed that mindset and brought Punjab to the center of India’s sports map.”

Taking a dig at the old system, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that earlier the sports associations in Punjab were dominated by politically connected persons, but the Punjab government has ended that trend and opened the doors for common players on the basis of merit.

Taking a major initiative to transform Punjab into a sports superpower, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab Government has successfully cleared the decades-long backlog of pending awards for the years 2019 to 2023 by conferring Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards to top national and international sportspersons and distributing massive cash prizes.

The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has also changed the old practice of awarding athletes only after their victories. He said that athletes are now being financially supported before tournaments to help them prepare and compete at a high level. He said, “To assist our athletes, the Punjab government has transferred over 15 crore rupees directly to their bank accounts through the newly launched sports portal for training and the purchase of high-end sports equipment. This portal also includes special grants for sports like fencing, kayaking, shooting, and archery and will help connect athletes with corporate sponsors.”

Among the top athletes honored were Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, and Amanjot Kaur, who received ₹1.5 crore each for their World Cup triumph. In shooting, world championship medalists Amanpreet Singh and Neeraj Kumar were awarded ₹1.54 crore, while Neeraj Kumar and Kirandeep Kaur received ₹1.52 crore each.

Budding shooter Vijveer Sidhu was awarded Rs 28.50 lakh, wushu player Kushal Kumar received Rs 25 lakh, while para-powerlifting world champion Paramjeet Kumar was given Rs 55 lakh for his outstanding international achievements.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards were presented annually to recognize athletes who have consistently achieved outstanding achievements in sports. He said that the awardees for the year 2018-19 included hockey player Ramandeep Singh, judo player Kiranjit Singh, kabaddi player Harvinder Kaur, rowing player Jaspreet Singh, shooter Angad Veer Singh Bajwa, weightlifter Pradeep Singh, wrestler Harpreet Singh, and swimmer Chahat Arora.

He further said that in the year 2020, Sangampreet Singh Bisla in archery, Twinkle Chaudhary in athletics, Veerpal in baseball, Amritpal Singh in basketball, Avtar Singh in kayaking and canoeing, Amarjeet Singh in cycling, Ina Arora in fencing and Harjinder Singh in handball were honoured.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that 2021 archery champion Sukhbir Singh, athlete Kirpal Singh, baseball player Amanjeet Kaur Bains, kayaking player Priyanka Devi, cyclist Naman Kapil, fencer Udayveer Singh and handball player Mandeep Kaur were honoured.

The Chief Minister said a special category has been dedicated to Arjuna Award winners and Olympic hockey stars, most of whom are serving in high government positions in Punjab. He said this honored group includes Indian men’s hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh, along with Olympic medalists Gurjant Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh, both of whom are serving as PCS officers.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann also honoured Olympic hockey stars Mandeep Singh, Hardik Singh, Varun Kumar, Shamsher Singh, goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Dilpreet Singh, who is serving as DSP in the Punjab Police.

Simranjit Kaur Bath, the first female boxer from Punjab to represent India at the Olympics, was also honored at the ceremony. Para-athletes from Punjab were also honored for bringing global recognition to the country despite their physical challenges.

Prominent para-athletes honoured during the ceremony included Asian Games gold medallist Mohammad Yasir, swimmer Vaibhav Rajoria, wrestler Surender Kamboj, para-badminton player Palak Kohli and para-powerlifter Paramjeet Kumar.

During the ceremony, mothers and family members of athletes who could not attend due to their training commitments were also invited to receive the honors. These included the parents of Asian Games medalist Harmilan Bains and Arjuna Award winner Madhuri Saxena.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann thanked the families of the players, saying, “The sacrifices made by parents play a vital role in every success in sports. Their dedication, discipline and unwavering support create champions.”

The Chief Minister further said that the Punjab Government has increased the sports budget by 17 times and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awards have been given to 87 renowned players from the year 2019 to 2023.

Speaking about the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Today is a historic day for Punjab and the sports world as sportspersons who have brought glory to their parents, Punjab, and the country worldwide are being honored. Each awardee was presented with a blazer, a scroll, a memento of Maharaja Ranjit Singh riding a horse, and a cash prize of ₹5 lakh.” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that ₹4.35 crore has been distributed to 87 awardees for this prestigious award.

Recalling the invaluable contribution of Punjab to Indian sports, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state has given many captains to the country including Indian Hockey Team Captain Harmanpreet Singh, Indian Men’s Cricket Team Captain Shubman Gill, Indian Women’s Cricket Team Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Indian Basketball Team Captain Palpreet Singh Brar.

He further said that Gurpreet Singh Sandhu captained the Indian football team last year and Punjabi cricketer Gurnoor Brar was recently selected for the Indian cricket team.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Punjab government has honoured the bronze medal winning hockey players of the Paris Olympics with Rs 1 crore each, while the gold medal winners of the Asian Games have also been given a prize money of Rs 1 crore each.

He further said that 9 Olympic medal winning sportspersons have been appointed as PCS and DSP officers, while since 2022, the Punjab government has distributed prize money worth Rs 106.20 crore among sportspersons and para-athletes who have performed brilliantly in national and international competitions.

The Chief Minister said that Rs 8.61 crore has been provided to 220 international players for sports preparation purposes from the year 2023, while Rs 15 crore has been given to sports institutions through DBT for purchase of sports equipment.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann further informed that 17,000 sports kits are being distributed and gyms are being set up in 6,000 villages across Punjab.

The Chief Minister said that the diet allowance for players at the Punjab State Institute of Sports has been increased from Rs 248 to Rs 480 per day, while at the District Centre of Excellence, the allowance has been increased from Rs 225 to Rs 350 per day.

Highlighting Punjab’s unmatched hockey heritage, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that more than 50 Punjabi hockey players have won Olympic medals, while 10 Punjabi players have captained the Indian hockey team in various Olympic Games. “Villages like Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur have brought glory to Punjab in world hockey by producing more than 20 Olympians,” Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said.

The Chief Minister recalled that India won a bronze medal in hockey at the Tokyo Olympics 2021 after a gap of 41 years, with a team led by Manpreet Singh, which included nine Punjabi players. He further said that India again won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics 2024, with a team consisting of 10 Punjabi players, captained by Harmanpreet Singh, who also emerged as the tournament’s highest scorer.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann further announced that the Punjab government has created a new “Outstanding Sportsperson” cadre to provide employment opportunities to athletes. He said that 500 seats have been created in various sports disciplines, while 45 junior coaches and three regular coaches have already been recruited.

He further stated that Punjab has become the first state in the country to establish a separate sports medicine cadre for sports science. Recruitment for 112 positions in various categories has already been completed, while recruitment for 206 physical trainer positions is ongoing.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann also said that under the grassroots skill discovery programme, 253 sports nurseries have been set up with 253 nursery coaches and 26 sports supervisors to nurture young talent across Punjab.

The Bhagwant Mann government is moving away from the model of honouring players only after victory and is focusing on preparing players for sports.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the Punjab government has adopted a different approach, moving away from the old model of honoring athletes only after their victories, and is providing financial assistance to athletes in advance of major tournaments. More than ₹15 crore has already been directly disbursed through the newly launched sports portal to help athletes prepare for competitions and acquire high-end equipment. The portal includes customized grants for sports such as shooting, fencing, kayaking, and archery, while also helping athletes connect with corporate sponsors for long-term support.

Record sports budget of Rs 1,763 crore allocated

A record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore has been allocated for 2026-27. To nurture sporting talent in villages, 3,148 rural sports grounds are being developed at a cost of ₹1,300 crore. The Chief Minister further announced that gyms are being set up in 6,000 villages, 17,000 sports kits are being distributed, and a new “Outstanding Sportsperson” cadre has been created to provide employment opportunities to athletes across Punjab.

During this, the Chief Minister virtually laid the foundation stone of the Youth Bhawan, to be built at a cost of ₹43.66 crore in Sector 42, Chandigarh. This youth building, being constructed by the Youth Services Department, will include a hostel for 200 youth, a 400-seat auditorium, a conference hall, a seminar hall, and a mess. Similarly, the Chief Minister launched the Punjab Sports Portal, a portal specifically designed for athletes. Athletes had been demanding such a portal for a long time. Through this portal, athletes from anywhere in the country and abroad can access information and other facilities.