A medal may only take moments to be placed around an athlete’s neck, but earning it demands a lifetime of dedication, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Friday as he honoured 132 athletes with cash awards totalling ₹ 189.3 crore for their performances at the Asian Games and Para Asian Games.
He claimed that two out of every three gold medals won by India came from Haryana’s athletes. Highlighting Haryana’s contribution to India’s sporting performance, the CM said the country finished fourth at the Asian Games with 85 medals, of which 32 were won by Haryana athletes, including 14 gold medals. India also recorded its best-ever performance at the Para Asian Games with 114 medals, including 31 won by Haryana’s para-athletes. The state’s athletes secured nine gold medals, accounting for nearly 30% of India’s gold tally, he said.
Addressing a state-level felicitation ceremony at Bhim Stadium in Bhiwani, Saini said behind every medal, there were years of training, sacrifices and the courage to rise again after defeat. The ceremony, he said, recognised not only the athletes’ achievements but also the contributions of their parents, coaches, teachers and support staff.
So far, 260 outstanding sportspersons had been appointed to Group A, B and C posts under the state’s recruitment rules, he added. He said Haryana disbursed ₹ 931 crore in cash awards to 17,676 athletes, including the latest awards. Monthly honorariums for recipients of major sports awards had also been increased, with Khel Ratna, Dronacharya, Arjuna, Dhyan Chand and Tenzing Norgay awardees receiving ₹ 20,000 per month and Bhim Award recipients ₹ 5,000. Saini said Haryana spent around ₹ 1,100 crore on sports infrastructure over the past 12 years.
The CM said eligible athletes were also being offered government jobs under the state’s sports policy. Calling on young people to choose sports over drugs, he said playing fields instill discipline and help keep youth away from substance abuse.
