Chandigarh, January 20 – Haryana Chief Minister Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, while speaking at the Haryana Kabaddi Khel Mahakumbh event held in village Badagarh, Ambala district, announced the construction of a Hockey Astro Turf at the Badagarh Sports Stadium. The project, valued at Rs. 14 crore, will also include the installation of floodlights at the stadium. In addition, Rs. 5 crore will be spent for the renovation of sports stadiums in village Laha and Village Bichpadi.
During the event, the Chief Minister presented awards to the winning teams in both the men’s and women’s categories of the Kabaddi Mahakumbh, recognizing those who secured the first, second, and third positions.
Congratulating the players, the Chief Minister said that Kabaddi is not just a game of physical strength, but also one of strategy. He highlighted how India, with the strength and skill of its athletes, is emerging as a dominant force in the Olympics and other international sports competitions, with Haryana’s players making significant contributions. He also mentioned that 11 talented athletes from Haryana were recently honoured by the President Mrs. Draupadi Murmu, including one player who received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, ten who were awarded the Arjuna Award, and one coach who was honoured with the Dronacharya Award.
The Chief Minister said that Haryana has long been a stronghold for traditional sports such as Kabaddi, wrestling, and boxing, with its athletes bringing fame to both the state and the nation through their success in national and international competitions. He also said that Haryana’s reputation in sports has made it a favoured location for Bollywood, with films like Dangal and Sultan celebrating the achievements of the state’s male and female athletes.
He said that Haryana has consistently excelled in the field of sports. Out of the 6 medals won by India at the Paris Olympics 2024, 5 were secured by players from Haryana. In the Tokyo Olympics 2020, 30 players from Haryana participated, contributing 4 out of India’s 7 medals. The state’s performance in the Asian Games has also been remarkable. In the 2022 Asian Games, 82 players from Haryana took part, winning 28 of India’s 111 medals. Similarly, Haryana athletes dominated the Commonwealth Games as well. At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, 43 players from Haryana competed and brought home 20 medals.
Chief Minister ShNayab Singh Saini said that the state government has implemented the Haryana Utkrisht Khiladi Sewa Rules 2021 to ensure secure employment for exceptional athletes. As part of this initiative, 550 new positions have been created in the Sports Department, and 224 players have been provided with government jobs.
Haryana is the first state in the country to offer the highest cash prizes to medal-winning athletes. To date, the state has awarded a total of Rs. 593 crore in cash prizes to players. In addition, honorariums are being provided to 298 athletes who have delivered outstanding performances.
He said that in recognition of the growing sports culture in the state, the government has committed to providing a medical insurance cover of Rs. 20 lakh to every player, as outlined in the Sankalp Patra-2024, to promote and support the welfare of athletes. In addition, incentives of Rs. 50 lakh, Rs. 30 lakh, and Rs. 20 lakh will be awarded annually to the top three Akharas at the state level. At the district level, the three best Akharas will receive Rs. 15 lakh, Rs. 10 lakh, and Rs. 5 lakh, respectively.
During the event, the Chief Minister also honoured the women’s Kabaddi team from Hisar, which secured first place in the Haryana Kabaddi Mahakumbh, as well as the teams from Rohtak (second place) and Gurugram and Ambala (third place), by presenting them with trophies and prizes.
Similarly, in the men’s Kabaddi competition, the Gurugram team, which secured first place, the Hisar team, which secured second place, and the teams from Rohtak and Ambala, which secured third place, were also honoured with trophies and prizes. The team finishing in first place received a prize of Rs. 2 lakh, the second place team received Rs. 1 lakh, and the third-place teams were awarded Rs. 25,000 each.
On this occasion, Principal Secretary of Sports Department, Sh. Navdeep Singh Virk, Director General Sh Sanjeev Verma, and other dignitaries were also present.
