Chandigarh, Dec 23 – Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a vision to establish India as a sports superpower by the 2036 Olympics. He expressed confidence that in the 2036 Olympic Games, players from Haryana will compete with the goal of winning the maximum number of medals and will further strengthen the state’s global identity as a land of brave farmers and world-class wrestlers.
The Chief Minister was speaking on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the MP Sports Mahotsav 2025 held at the Dronacharya Stadium, located in the sacred land of Dharmakshetra–Kurukshetra.
Earlier, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Member of Parliament Naveen Jindal, and former Minister of State Subhash Sudha felicitated the winners of MP Sports Mahotsav 2025 with cash awards and prizes. On this occasion, shooter Gurjot Singh and para-athlete Dilbag Singh Hisar were honored with special awards. The Chief Minister congratulated MP Naveen Jindal and his entire team for the successful organization and said that nearly 1.10 lakh players showcased their talent across various sports during the Mahotsav.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini further stated that a comprehensive sports calendar has been prepared to organize sporting competitions throughout the year in the state. Under this calendar, events such as Khel Mahakumbh, state-level Akhara Dangal, boxing, volleyball, athletics, badminton, swimming, basketball, handball, and other competitions are regularly conducted. He added that a clear vision for sports development in Haryana was formulated 11 years ago, with the objective of connecting every child with sports, developing playgrounds in every village, and providing opportunities to every youth with a passion for sports. The ultimate goal of this vision is to make Haryana not only the sports capital of India, but also of the world.
Chief Minister said that today Haryana is known as the nursery of sports, with its athletes bringing immense pride to the nation at the international level. Whether it is the Olympic Games, Asian Games, or Commonwealth Games, players from Haryana have consistently hoisted the Tricolour high across every platform. He said that the Sansad Sports Festival serves as an important platform to nurture and promote sporting talent, and several initiatives have been taken by the state government to bring such talent to the forefront.
The Chief Minister said that sports nurseries have been established across the state to groom players from an early age, where they are provided with financial assistance along with professional training. At present, 1,472 sports nurseries are functioning in Haryana, training 37,225 players. Under this scheme, players in the 8 to 14 age group receive a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500, while those aged 15 to 19 years are given Rs 2,000 per month.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini further stated that to ensure secure employment opportunities for outstanding athletes, the Haryana Excellent Players Service Rules, 2021 were implemented. Under these rules, 550 new posts were created in the Sports Department, and government jobs have been provided to 231 players so far. Reservation has also been made for sportspersons in direct recruitment for posts ranging from Class I to Class IV. He added that medal-winning athletes are awarded cash prizes of up to Rs 6 crore. So far, cash awards amounting to Rs 683.15 crore have been distributed to 16,418 players. In addition, honorariums are being provided to 298 outstanding players. Scholarships are also awarded to students who participate and win medals in state, national, and international sports competitions. Since 2014, scholarships worth Rs 70 crore have been provided to more than 24,000 students.
He further said that the state government is also providing sports equipment to players through the Haryana Sports Equipment Provision Scheme. Under this scheme, sports equipment has been distributed to 15,634 players across the state.
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that Haryana’s daughters, Unnati Hooda, Anmol Kharb, Devika Sihag, and Ridhikaur Thur, have brought pride to the state by winning the gold medal at the 78th Inter-State Inter-Zonal Badminton Championship 2025 held in Vijayawada. The Chief Minister congratulated the players and their coaches for this outstanding achievement. He said that both the men’s and women’s badminton teams from Haryana reached the finals of the 78th Inter-State Inter-Zonal Badminton Championship 2025. In the final match, the Haryana women’s badminton team secured the gold medal by defeating the Andhra Pradesh team. Meanwhile, the final match of the men’s badminton championship will be played between Haryana and Andhra Pradesh.
New era of sports begins in MP Sports Festival Kurukshetra: Naveen Jindal
Expressing his gratitude to Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, MP Naveen Jindal said that MP Sports Mahotsav 2025 is not merely a closing ceremony, but marks the beginning of a new era of sports in Kurukshetra. He shared his vision of ensuring the availability of sports equipment and trained coaches in every village of Kurukshetra. To achieve this goal, sports stadiums will be developed within the next one year, and gym equipment will be provided in every village over the next two years.
While administering a pledge to the players, he said that an increasing number of youth from the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency should actively participate in sports and commit themselves to staying away from social evils such as drug addiction. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the Sansad Khel Mahotsav with the objective of empowering youth to excel in sports, thereby nurturing national and international-level players in every village. He further stated that a record 1.10 lakh players from the nine Assembly segments of the Kurukshetra Lok Sabha constituency contributed to making the Sansad Sports Mahotsav 2025 a historic success.
