Gulveer Singh of Aligarh has emerged as Uttar Pradesh’s most decorated athlete at the 2026 Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, becoming the state’s highest cash-award recipient with a record ₹ 5 crore purse for his five-medal haul.
Notably, Vipraj Nigam is set to receive the top gold-medal purse despite not playing a single match in the tournament, as he was part of the squad. Uttar Pradesh’s sports director RP Singh termed the success of Uttar Pradesh athletes at both the CWG and the Asian Games exceptional. By contrast, four other UP athletes including cricketer Deepti Sharma (Agra), kabaddi player Arjun Deshwal (UP Police), relay racer Prachi Chaudhary (Saharanpur), and cricketer Vipraj Nigam (Barabanki), will each get ₹ 3 crore for their Asian Games gold medals. Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association’s secretary, Anandeshwar Pandey said that the performances of Uttar Pradesh athletes at the Asian Games have raised new hopes as many of them will be getting an opportunity to go to the LA Olympics in 2028.
“It was a great achievement for Uttar Pradesh athletes at the Asian Games and our athletes have shown their worth on the big stage,” he said on Saturday.
His 1500m silver came with a personal best, while his 10,000m silver improved on his previous Asian Games bronze, underlining steady progression. Because he medalled in three different distances at the Asian Games—1500m, 5000m, and 10,000m—showcasing rare versatility from middle to long distance, undoubtedly, Gulveer’s 2026 season is exceptional. For Uttar Pradesh, which has traditionally shone in shooting, wrestling, and team sports, Gulveer’s track dominance marks a new high in endurance running.
