Punjab’s athletes have made Tricolour proud across world; CM Bhagwant Singh Mann honours them with awards
CHANDIGARH; Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday unveiled one of the biggest sports promotion drives in Punjab’s history, honouring 87 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awardees and 1,070 medal-winning athletes with prize money worth ₹32.05 crore while announcing a sweeping expansion of the state’s sports ecosystem from villages to international arenas.
Positioning Punjab as an emerging sports powerhouse, The Chief Minister the Punjab Government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medallists with ₹1 crore each and provided jobs to nine players, but has also, for the first time, extended direct financial assistance worth ₹8.61 crore to 220 players for tournament preparation.
Making a decisive shift from token recognition to structural investment in sports, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann announced a record sports budget of ₹1,763 crore for 2026-27 and the development of 3,148 rural sports grounds at a cost of ₹1,300 crore to nurture talent at the grassroots level.
The Chief Minister further declared that Punjab will host the Asian Champions Trophy for the first time, with the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash set to be played on Punjab Day. Taking a dig at previous regimes, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab, despite producing countless champions for the country, was never earlier given the opportunity to host a major sporting event, while sports associations remained dominated by politically connected individuals instead of genuine players.
Addressing a grand felicitation ceremony, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the day marked a historic moment for Punjab as 87 players were conferred with the prestigious Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award while 1,070 medal-winning sportspersons from different disciplines were also honoured. “For the first time in Punjab’s history, the government has distributed prize money worth ₹32.05 crore among players through cheques. The Punjab Government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medalists with ₹1 crore each but has also provided jobs to nine medal-winning players,” he added.
The Chief Minister noted, “The players of Punjab have brought immense pride to the country and the state through their achievements on international platforms. It is our responsibility to stand firmly with them and ensure they receive the respect, recognition, and support they deserve.”
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